dehisce

American  

[dih-his] / dɪˈhɪs /

verb (used without object)

dehisced, dehiscing

1. to burst open, as capsules of plants; gape.

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dehisce British  

/ dɪˈhɪs /

verb

1. (intr) (of fruits, anthers, etc) to burst open spontaneously, releasing seeds, pollen, etc

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Etymology

Origin of dehisce

1650–60; < Latin dēhiscere to gape, part, equivalent to dē- de- + hiscere to gape, yawn ( hi ( āre ) to yawn + -scere inchoative suffix)

Example Sentences

It has been noted with respect to the nectar of the fuchsia that it is most abundant when the anthers are about to dehisce, and absent in the unexpanded flower.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 6 "Home, Daniel" to "Hortensius, Quintus" by Various

They dehisce properly, but do not appear to contain much pollen.

From The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species by Darwin, Charles

Owing to the rotation of the filaments, the anthers, when mature, dehisce towards the circumference of the flower in one form of Faramea, and towards the centre in the other form.

From The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species by Darwin, Charles

From these masses of ova dehisce into the body cavity and float in its fluid.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

The formation and growth of the asci and sporidia differ little from what we have described, and when mature the asci dehisce, and the sporidia alone are ejected from the ostiolum.

From Fungi: Their Nature and Uses by Cooke, M. C. (Mordecai Cubitt)