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nectary

nectary

1 8.4
A part of a flower or plant that makes a sweet liquid to attract insects
  • noun
  • /ˈnɛktəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nectario
  • When lured from this perch to the fragrant nectaries, a potential victim finds no footing on the hood's downward-pointing hairs and falls into the water.
  • plants with nectaries
  • flower's nectary

Is tree SAP technically nectar cause of Maple syrup is a floral nectaries?

Examples

  • Many flowering plants have nectaries that produce sweet nectar to attract pollinators.

  • See that nectary all the way down there?

  • In the background, people buzz around flowers: feel petals, stare deep into nectaries, jabber passionately, carry boxes of plants.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Nectaries at the base of each hood secrete chemicals attractive to insects and other arthropods, while the lip on the rim opposite the hood serves as a convenient landing pad.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The nectaries located on the stems of some plants are essential for drawing in beneficial insects.

  • In flowers, nectaries release a sugary liquid that serves as a reward for pollinators.

Synonyms

honey gland
vsnectary
  • Specialized
7.7

A small part of a plant or animal that makes a sweet liquid to attract insects like bees

is found only in flowers and plants and secretes nectar

Surface Forms

nectary singular
nectaries plural

Morphology

nectary = nectar (transparent) = nectar + ary

Formed from 'nectar' + the noun-forming suffix '-ary' meaning a structure/place related to nectar, which directly yields the sense.

Etymology

The word nectary comes from the common word nectar, which means 'sweet drink'. A nectary is the part of a flower or plant that makes that sweet 'nectar', so it is the place that attracts bees and other insects.