Glochidium (Noun)
Meaning
A barbed spine or bristle (often tufted on cacti).
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The glochidium on the cactus sprang out suddenly as I brushed past it, causing a sharp pain in my arm.
- After handling the cactus, my fingers were covered with the fine glochidia, which caused me to itch for hours.
- The glochidium of the prickly pear cactus made it challenging for gardeners to work with the plant without getting scratched.
- When I accidentally knocked into the cholla cactus, the glochidium stuck into my skin and required careful removal.
- The Arizona cactus, notorious for its glochidium, often became embedded into clothes and skin of unsuspecting hikers.