haustorium

views updated May 29 2018

haustorium
1. In certain parasitic fungi, an outgrowth from a hypha that penetrates a host cell in order to absorb nutrients from it.

2. In some parasitic flowering plants (angiosperms), outgrowths of the roots.

haustorium

views updated May 14 2018

haustorium
1. In certain parasitic Fungi, an outgrowth from a hypha that penetrates a host cell in order to absorb nutrients from it.

2. In some parasitic flowering plants (angiosperms), outgrowths of the roots.

haustorium

views updated May 18 2018

haustorium (pl. haustoria) A specialized structure of certain parasitic plants and fungi that penetrates the cells of the host plant to absorb nutrients. In parasitic fungi haustoria are formed from enlarged hyphae and in parasitic flowering plants, such as the dodder (Cuscuta), they are outgrowths of the stem.

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