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Glite Dictionary
flowering glume

flowering glume

9.9
The lower, thicker cover that protects a small grass flower
  • noun
  • /ˈflaʊərɪŋ ɡluːm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : gluma en flor
  • The flowering glume plays an important role in protecting the developing floret in wheat.

Examples

  • The palea and flowering glume together form a protective casing around the reproductive organs.

  • Researchers compared the thickness of the flowering glume among different grass species.

  • The flowering glume protects the developing seed.

  • In many grasses, the flowering glume is the most visible part.

  • The flowering glume provides essential support to the young seed as it develops in the grass.

  • Farmers observe the changes in the flowering glume to determine the health of their crops.

  • The characteristics of the flowering glume vary significantly across different grass species.

Synonyms

lemma
vsflowering glume
  • Specialized
9.9

A dry outer leaf that covers and protects a small grass flower

is the lower bract noted for being typically more robust

Surface Forms

flowering glume singular
flowering glumes plural

Morphology

flowering + glume

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'flowering' describes a glume that is associated with or bears the flower, so the overall meaning is directly derivable from the parts. Although the term is technical botanical vocabulary, the relation is compositional and follows normal English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the general meaning.

Etymology

Flowering glume refers to the small leaf-like husk that wraps a grass flower. The word glume meant a husk and flowering points to the flower inside, so the term came to mean 'the lower husk that protects the developing grass flower'.