chalaza
/kəˈleɪzə
/noun (plural chalazae /kəˈleɪziː/) Zoology
(In a bird’s egg) each of two twisted membranous strips joining the yolk to the ends of the shell.In wheat, evidence was found that a barrier occurred in the chalaza, a small zone of cells between the maternal vascular tissue and the nucellus....
- In sections of caryopses, greenish yellow fluorescence was observed in the cell walls of the chalaza and the outer layers of the nucellar projection.
- The chalaza in a duck egg is not as noticeable as it is in a chicken egg and the white is more transparent with less yellow coloring.
Derivatives
chalazal
- Note the chalazal vascular bundle that encircles about three-quarters of the seed and the two short side branches that contain phloem only.
- In addition, a strong staining was observed in maternal chalazal tissue shortly after fertilization, and persisted throughout seed development.
- No changes in the staining of chalazal cell walls were detected at the end of grain filling.
Origin
Early 18th century: modern Latin, from Greek khalaza 'small knot'.