Indusium

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  indusium
       n : a membrane enclosing and protecting the developing spores
           especially that covering the sori of a fern
       [also: {indusia} (pl)]