ramentum

[ ruh-men-tuhm ]

noun

, plural ra·men·ta [r, uh, -, men, -t, uh].

1. a scraping, shaving, or particle.
2. Botany. one of the thin, chafflike scales covering the shoots or leaves of certain ferns.

ramentum

/ rəˈmɛntəm; ˌræmɛnˈteɪʃəs /

noun

1. any of the thin brown scales that cover the stems and leaves of young ferns

Derived Forms

• ramentaceous, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ramentum¹

1655–65; < Latin rāmentum a shaving, shred < *rādmentum, equivalent to rād ( ere ) to scrape + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of ramentum¹

C17: from Latin rādere to scrape

Example Sentences

No one can look at a young pinnula at this epoch and observe the evident capitation of each ramentum, the inflexion of its apex, so that the head is brought into contact with the frond, without suspecting that they have the same relation of cause to the appearance subsequently of the thecæ or capsules. 

From Project Gutenberg