The scar or attachment point on a seed where it was connected to the funiculus (seed stalk) within the fruit. The hilum often appears as a distinct mark or depression on the seed surface and may serve as a point for water absorption during germination.
From Latin 'hilum' meaning 'a small thing' or 'trifle,' originally referring to the small black spot on a bean. The term was adopted into botanical terminology to describe this specific anatomical feature of seeds across all plant species.
The hilum is like a seed's belly button! Just as human navels mark where we were connected to our mothers, the hilum shows exactly where each seed was attached to its parent plant - and in many seeds, it's actually the main entry point for water during germination.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.