Involucre

2 definitions found

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

  Involucre \In"vo*lu`cre\ (?; 277), n. [L. involucrum a covering,
     wrapper, fr. involvere to wrap up, envelop: cf. F. involucre.
     See {Involve}.] (Bot.)
     (a) A whorl or set of bracts around a flower, umbel, or head.
     (b) A continuous marginal covering of sporangia, in certain
         ferns, as in the common brake, or the cup-shaped


         processes of the filmy ferns.
     (c) The peridium or volva of certain fungi. Called also
         {involucrum}.
         [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  involucre
       n : a highly conspicuous bract or bract pair or ring of bracts
           at the base of an inflorescence
       [also: {involucra} (pl)]