haustorium

1 9.9

A part of a parasitic plant or fungus that grows into a host plant to take water and food

noun
/hɔːˈstɔːriəm/

Specialized

: haustorio

Researchers studied the formation of the haustorium in various species of parasitic plants.

Examples

Without a functioning haustorium, the parasite would not be able to survive on its host.
The mistletoe sends a haustorium into the branch of its host tree to extract water and nutrients.
The haustorium of the dodder plant attaches itself to the host.
Many parasitic plants develop a haustorium to extract nutrients.
The haustorium of the dodder plant attaches to its host, allowing it to extract essential nutrients from the surrounding tissue.
In many parasitic plants, the haustorium serves as a vital organ that connects them to the host's vascular system for nutrient absorption.
The fungal haustorium forms a bridge between the fungus and the plant, facilitating the transfer of nutrients essential for growth.

Surface Forms

haustorium singular

haustoria plural

Morphology

haustorium = haust + orium

A specialized scientific formation from the Latin combining form 'haust-' and the suffix '-orium'; these elements are not productive or familiar to average learners, so the meaning cannot be reliably derived from the parts.

Etymology

Haustorium comes from the Latin root haust- meaning 'to draw' or 'to drink', the same root you see in exhaust. A haustorium is the part of a parasitic plant or fungus that draws water and nutrients from its host, so the name fits its job.