massula

noun

mas·​su·​la

ˈmasyələ

plural massulae

-ˌlē

1

: a coherent mass of pollen grains (as in certain orchids) developed from a single pollen mother cell

2

: a hardened layer of cytoplasm formed around the maturing microspore in some heterosporous ferns (as of the genus Azolla)

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, small mass, from massa lump, mass + -ula

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