Aril

aril

[′ar·əl]

(botany)

An outgrowth of the funiculus in certain seeds that either remains as an appendage or envelops the seed.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Aril

 

(also caruncle), an appendage of a seed. Arils, which are usually succulent and fleshy, attract birds and ants that distribute the seeds. Some types of arils are called arillodes and arilli.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.