Hilum (biology)
Structure on a seed or spore coat
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In botany, a hilum (pronounced /ˈhaɪləm/) is a scar or mark left on a seed coat by the former attachment to the ovary wall or to the funiculus (which in turn attaches to the ovary wall).[1][2] It is commonly known as the "eye" in some bean and pea species.
For some species of fungus, the hilum is the microscopic indentation left on a spore when it separates from the sterigma of the basidium.[3]
A hilum can also refer to the point around which layers of starch are deposited in a starch granule. This point may be located either at the center or to the side of the granule.[4]
The adjectival form hilar denotes the presence of such a mark, and for some species it can be used as a distinguishing characteristic.[2]