cupule

views updated May 14 2018

cupule
1. A hard or membranous cup-shaped structure formed from bracts and enclosing various fruits, such as the hazelnut and acorn.

2. A structure in club mosses (Lycopodium species) that protects the gemma (resting bud) during its development. It is composed of six leaflike structures.

3. The bright red tissue around the seed of yew (Taxus), forming the yew `berry'.

cupule

views updated Jun 27 2018

cupule A cup-like sheath surrounding or enclosing certain fruits, e.g. the acorn of Quercus.

More From encyclopedia.com