pa|le|a

pa|le|a «PAY lee uh», noun, plural -le|ae «-lee ee». Botany.

1. one of the inner, scalelike, usually membranous bracts enclosing the stamens and pistil in the flower of grasses.

2. one of the bracts at the base of the individual florets in many composite plants.

3. the scales on the stems of certain ferns.

╂[< Latin palea chaff]