Chaetomium

noun

Chae·​to·​mi·​um

kēˈtōmēəm

: a genus (the type of the family Chaetomiaceae) of ascomycetous fungi that are characterized by long straight, curled, or branched hairs on the usually dull-colored perithecia especially on their upper surfaces and that include several fungi destructive to paper and other materials and to some plastics

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek chaitōma plume (from chaitē hair) + New Latin -ium

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