palea

[pey-lee-uh] /ˈpeɪ li ə/
noun, plural paleae
[pey-lee-ee] /ˈpeɪ liˌi/ (Show IPA)
1.
a chafflike scale or bract.
2.
the scalelike, membranous organ in the flowers of grasses that is situated upon a secondary axis in the axil of the flowering glume and envelops the stamens and pistil.
Origin
1745-55; < Neo-Latin, special use of Latin palea chaff
Related forms
paleaceous
[pey-lee-ey-shuh s] /ˌpeɪ liˈeɪ ʃəs/ (Show IPA), paleate
[pey-lee-it, ‐eyt] /ˈpeɪ li ɪt, ‐ˌeɪt/ (Show IPA), adjective
Examples from the web for palea
  • Lemma and palea green to yellowish, often dark red at apex, covered with stiff transparent hairs.
British Dictionary definitions for palea

palea

/ˈpeɪlɪə/
noun (botany) (pl) paleae (ˈpeɪlɪˌiː), pales
1.
the inner of two bracts surrounding each floret in a grass spikelet Compare lemma1
2.
any small membranous bract or scale
Derived Forms
paleaceous (ˌpeɪlɪˈeɪʃəs) adjective
Word Origin
C18: from Latin: straw, chaff; see pallet1
palea in Science
palea
  (pā'lēə)   
Plural paleae (pā'lē-ē')

  1. The inner or upper of the two bracts enclosing one of the small flowers within a grass spikelet.

  2. The chaffy scales on the receptacle of a flower head in a plant of the composite family.