bract

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

bract, n. [See Bractea.].

 A leaf, usually smaller than the true leaves of a plant, from the axil of which a flower stalk arises.  [1913 Webster]
" Bracts are often inconspicuous, but sometimes large and showy, or highly colored, as in many cactaceous plants. The spathes of aroid plants are conspicuous forms of bracts."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bract, n. a modified and often brightly coloured leaf, with a flower or an inflorescence in its axil.

Derivative

bracteal adj. bracteate adj.

Etymology

L bractea thin plate, gold-leaf

THESAURUS

bract

blade, bracteole, bractlet, cotyledon, flag, floral leaf, foliole, frond, glume, involucre, involucrum, lamina, leaf, leaflet, lemma, ligule, needle, petal, pile, pine needle, seed leaf, sepal, spathe, spear, spire, stipula, stipule