- aril
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—arilloid, adj./ar"il/, n. Bot.a usually fleshy appendage or covering of certain seeds, as of the bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, or the nutmeg.[1785-95; < NL arillus; ML: grape seed, prob. erroneously for armillus, with same sense; cf. Upper It dial. armella, arma kernel, pit of a fruit, It animella edible insides of an animal < L anima lit., spirit (hence, the insides of a thing), with -illa dim. suffix; see ANIMA]
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Special covering of certain seeds that commonly develops from the seed stalk.It is often a bright-coloured fleshy envelope, as in such woody plants as the yews and nutmeg and in members of the arrowroot family, oxalis, and the castor-oil plant. Animals are attracted to arils and eat the seeds, dispersing them in their wastes. The aril of nutmeg is the source of the spice known as mace.* * *
▪ plant anatomyspecial covering of certain seeds that commonly develops from the seed stalk. It is often a bright-coloured fleshy envelope, as in such woody plants as the yews and nutmeg and in members of the arrowroot family, the genus Oxalis, and the castor bean. Animals are attracted to arils and eat the seeds, dispersing them in their wastes. In the castor bean, the aril is spongy and absorbs water during germination. The aril of nutmeg is the source of the spice known as mace.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
