noun
- plural of silicle; short, broad seed pods that are wider than they are long, typically found in plants of the mustard family
Usage: botanical
Examples
- The botanist examined the silicles under a microscope to identify the plant species.
- Shepherd’s purse produces distinctive heart-shaped silicles.
- The silicles split open when mature to release the seeds.
- Students collected various silicles during their field study of cruciferous plants.
- The silicles of this mustard plant are much broader than those of related species.