Aculea

/æˈkju.li.ə/ noun

Definition

A needle-like structure or spine, especially in botany and zoology; a small sharp point.

Etymology

From Latin 'acula' or 'aculea,' diminutive plural of 'acus' (needle). Used in scientific nomenclature to describe small pointed structures.

Kelly Says

Latin scientific names preserve these ancient forms—when a botanist needs to describe tiny spines on a plant, they still use these centuries-old Latin words, which is why if you learn Latin prefixes and suffixes, you can often guess what new species are like.

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