noun
- A specialized fungal or parasitic structure that adheres to and penetrates the surface of a host plant or organism.
Usage: biology; mycology; technical
Examples
- The fungus forms an appressorium to attach itself to the leaf surface.
- Plant pathologists study the appressorium to understand how fungi infect crops.
- The appressorium secretes enzymes that help break down the plant cell wall.
- Many rust fungi develop an appressorium as part of their infection mechanism.
- Under the microscope, the appressorium appears as a flattened, disc-like structure.