Definition of "paraphyses" []

• Plural form of paraphysis. (noun)

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• "This hymenium is composed of a number of swollen, club-shaped cells, called basidia, and close to them, side by side, are sterile, elongated cells, named paraphyses."
• "The brown tint of the hair-like paraphyses mixed with antheridia (fig. 15) makes the male branch conspicuous, while the archegonia have to be carefully looked for enclosed by the surrounding leaves (fig. 16, B)."
• "Thallus light colored, usually thin and smooth, rarely disappearing; apothecia minute to middle-sized, 0.2 to 1 mm. in diameter, adnate scattered or crowded, flat or slightly convex, the disk pruinose, and the exciple persistent; hypothecium lighter or darker brown; hymenium usually pale; paraphyses coherent and becoming indistinct; asci cylindrico-clavate; spores oblong-ellipsoid, 3 to 5 mic. long and 1 to"