Hilum (biology)

In botany, a hilum (pronounced /ˈhaɪləm/) is a scar or mark left on a seed coat by the former attachment to the ovary wall or to the funiculus (which in turn attaches to the ovary wall).[1][2] It is commonly known as the "eye" in some bean and pea species.

For some species of fungus, the hilum is the microscopic indentation left on a spore when it separates from the sterigma of the basidium.[3]

A hilum can also be a nucleus of a starch grain; the point around which layers of starch are deposited.

The adjectival form hilar denotes the presence of such a mark, and for some species it can be used as a distinguishing characteristic.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Glossary of Botanical Terms". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b Tootill, Elizabeth; Blackmore, Stephen, eds. (1984). The Penguin Dictionary of Botany. London: Penguin Group. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-14-051126-0.
  3. ^ Kirk PM, Cannon PF, Minter DW, Stalpers JA (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi (10th ed.). Wallingford, UK: CABI. p. 317. ISBN 978-0-85199-826-8.
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