caudicle

Definitions

A slender, elastic process to which the masses of pollen in orchidaceous plants are attached.

Examples

“A pollinium when highly developed consists of a mass of pollen-grains, affixed to an elastic foot-stalk or caudicle, and this to a little mass of extremely viscid matter⟳.”

“The structure⟳ of the rostellum and caudicles of the pollinia are worth noting. There are four pollinia, separated into two pairs. Each pair is attached to a long caudicle ending in a mass of sticky material or a distinct, viscid disc, except that in one species, I. intermedia, the two caudicles share⟳ a viscid disc. The rostellum in all species has two projections on which the caudicles lie⟳.”

“The caudicle holds the pollen grains together (Proctor and Harder 1994; Fig. 1).”

CEFR level