aethalium

[ ee-they-lee-uhm ]

noun

, Mycology.

, plural ae·tha·li·a [ee-, they, -lee-, uh].

1. a large, plump, pillow-shaped fruiting body of certain myxomycetes, formed by the aggregation of plasmodia into a single functional mass.

Word History and Origins

Origin of aethalium¹

< New Latin, originally a genus of Myxomycetes containing such a body < Greek aíthal ( os ) or aithál ( ē ) thick smoke, soot (akin to aíthein to kindle, burn) + New Latin -ium -ium; so named from the smokelike spores

Example Sentences

Aethalium a compound plasmodiocarp; the component sporangia branching and anastomosing in every direction, complicate and grown together; the walls of the sporangia a thin membrane, coated with minute, roundish granules of lime.

From Project Gutenberg

Aethalium with a thick fragile common cortex.

From Project Gutenberg

Aethalium very large, pulvinate, orbicular, elongated, or quite irregular, extremely friable, the surface tawny or ferruginous to ochraceous and whitish.

From Project Gutenberg

Aethalium 3–6 or sometimes many centimeters in extent and 1–2 cm. in thickness.

From Project Gutenberg

Aethalium naked, i. e., without a common cortex.

From Project Gutenberg