indusium

2 definitions found

indusium - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Indusium \In*du"si*um\, n.; pl. Indusia (-[.a]). [L., an under
     garment, fr. induere to put on: cf. F. indusie the covering
     of the seed spots of ferns.] (Bot.)
     (a) A collection of hairs united so as to form a sort of cup,
         and inclosing the stigma of a flower.
     (b) The immediate covering of the fruit dots or sori in many
         ferns, usually a very thin scale attached by the middle
         or side to a veinlet.
     (c) A peculiar covering found in certain fungi.
         [1913 Webster]

indusium - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  indusium
      n 1: a membrane enclosing and protecting the developing spores
           especially that covering the sori of a fern