silique

[ suh-leek, sil-ik ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Botany.

the long two-valved seed vessel or pod of plants belonging to the mustard family.

silique

/ sĭ-lēk′ /

An elongated dry dehiscent seed pod that is the characteristic fruit of the mustard family. The two sides split off at maturity and leave a central partition to which the seeds are attached.

Origin of silique¹

1400–50; late Middle English selyque, silique (< Middle French silique ) < Latin siliqua; siliqua

Herbs, with a pungent watery juice and cruciform tetradynamous flowers; fruit a silique or silicle.

Pod a short silique or a silicle, varying from oblong-linear to globular, terete or nearly so; valves strongly convex, nerveless.

The Virginian Stock (Malcomia maritima) has a roundish silique, and only one stigma, which ends in a long tapering point.

The capsule is very long and narrow, resembling a silique in shape, but broad on the outside, and the leaves are pinnate.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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