Aparaphysate

/ˌeɪpærəˈfɪseɪt/ adjective

Definition

In botany, lacking paraphyses, which are sterile filaments found in certain fungi and plants between spore-bearing structures.

Etymology

From Greek a- ('without') + paraphysis (a sterile filament). The term combines the privative prefix a- with the botanical structure name to indicate its absence.

Kelly Says

Mycologists use this term to describe fungi that skip the scaffolding system other fungi use—it's like building a house without interior support beams, which affects how spores are arranged!

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