Abstrict

/əbˈstrɪkt/ verb

Definition

to break off or separate; in botany, to sever or constrict at the base of a structure.

Etymology

From Latin abstrictus, past participle of abstringere 'to bind tight' or 'to draw away.' A specialized botanical term.

Kelly Says

Fungi 'abstrict' their spores—creating a tiny pinch point that breaks to release them into the air—a word that sounds violent but describes an elegant biological mechanism.

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