palea

bract

Also known as: paleae

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

A palea is a botanical term with two primary meanings. It can refer to one of the small, chaffy scales found on the receptacle of many plants in the composite family Asteraceae. Alternatively, in grasses (family Poaceae), the palea is the upper of two bracts that enclose the flower, with the other being the lemma. A bract is generally a modified leaf, often smaller than typical leaves, that is located below a flower or an inflorescence. In some cases, what appear to be petals are actually bracts, such as in the poinsettia or dogwood.1243

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Poaceae
Characteristic morphological features
…scales, the lemma and the palea, occur in pairs. Generally the lemma is larger than the palea, which is hidden between the lemma and the spikelet axis. The lemma and palea surround and protect the flower, and all three of these structures form the floret. Grass spikelets then simply consist…
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…scales, the lemma and the palea, occur in pairs. Generally the lemma is larger than the palea, which is hidden between the lemma and the spikelet axis. The lemma and palea surround and protect the flower, and all three of these structures form the floret. Grass spikelets then simply consist…
Read More