Capillitia

/kəˌpɪˈlɪʃə/ noun

Definition

The plural of capillitium; hair or hair-like structures, especially in fungi or other organisms.

Etymology

Latin plural of capillitium, derived from capillus meaning hair. This term became standardized in biological Latin nomenclature during the 18th and 19th centuries for describing microscopic hair-like structures.

Kelly Says

Mycologists studying mushroom spores discovered that the capillitia—tiny thread-like structures that help spread spores—are sometimes more beautiful under a microscope than the mushrooms themselves!

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