Cyphellae

/saɪˈfeɪliː/ noun

Definition

Plural of cyphella; multiple small cup-shaped structures found on lichens or fungi.

Etymology

Latin plural of cyphella, formed by changing the '-a' ending to '-ae,' following standard scientific nomenclature conventions.

Kelly Says

The plural form alerts us to something remarkable: these little cups are so distinct and so abundant on some lichens that they're a key identifying feature—you count cyphellae to identify entire lichen species!

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