How Do You Spell PALEA?

Pronunciation: [pˈe͡ɪli͡ə] (IPA)

The word "palea" is a botanical term that refers to the bract that encloses the florets in the spikelets of grasses. It is pronounced as /ˈpeɪlɪə/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The word is spelled with the letter 'p' followed by 'a' and 'l'. The 'e' is pronounced as a schwa sound and the second 'a' is pronounced as 'uh'. The spelling of the word is influenced by its Latin origin, which follows the standard pronunciation rules of English.

PALEA Meaning and Definition

1. The term "palea" is a botanical term used to refer to a specific structure found in the flowers of grasses. It is a small, papery, and scale-like structure that appears as a modified bract. The primary function of the palea is to protect the developing floral organs within the grass flower.

   The palea is typically located closer to the center of the flower, where it surrounds and encloses the stamens and pistil. It is often found below the lemma, another bract-like structure in grass flowers. The palea, along with the lemma, forms the protective outer covering of the floret, which is the basic unit of the grass inflorescence.

   In terms of physical characteristics, the palea is usually thin, membranous, and translucent, giving it a pale or whitish appearance. It can be smooth or possess specific veins or ridges, depending on the grass species. While the lemma is usually larger and more prominent, the palea tends to be smaller and often overlaps the lemma to some extent.

   The presence and characteristics of palea can be important for taxonomists and botanists in identifying different grass species. By examining the size, shape, color, and other features of the palea, researchers can distinguish one species from another within the grass family. Additionally, palea may also have some role in facilitating pollination or seed dispersal, although this varies depending on the specific grass species.

2. In botany: 1. A scaly outgrowth of the epidermis in ferns. 2. An inner bract subtending the flower in grasses. 3. A bracteole.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

3. In bot., a name given to the small scale-plates, like chaff, in the receptacles of some composite flowers; the part of the flower of grasses within the glume.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for PALEA

• palez
• palsea
• paleza
• paleaz
• paleqa
• paleaq

Etymology of PALEA

The word "palea" has its origin in Latin. It comes from the Latin word "palea" or "paleae", which means "chaff" or "husk". In turn, Latin borrowed the term from the Ancient Greek word "páleiᾰ", which also refers to "chaff" or "husk".

Plural form of PALEA is PALEAE