sessile
/ˈsɛsʌɪl
/ /ˈsɛsɪl /adjective
1 Biology (Of an organism, e.g. a barnacle) fixed in one place; immobile: parrotfish inadvertently graze upon sessile invertebrates when cropping algae overall body shape is consistent with a sessile habit...
- Epizoic barnacles are sessile, marine crustaceans and constitute a model system featuring the above conditions.
- Most radially symmetric animals are sessile, however, echinoderms are able to move.
- Because anemones are sessile animals, staying put most of their lives, it is important for them to maintain dominance over their territory in competition for food and space.
1.1 Botany & Zoology (Of a plant or animal structure) attached directly by its base without a stalk or peduncle: sporangia may be stalked or sessile...
- It continues to grow with a dome shape, but it can be sessile or pedunculated.
- It frequently occurs in the lower uterine segment and may be either sessile or pedunculated.
- These two phenomena are especially critical for sessile higher plants.
Origin
Early 18th century: from Latin sessilis, from sess- 'seated', from the verb sedere.