define columella

Question

seeking for its answer please help me in sorting out

Answer 1

A columella is an anatomical structure that can refer to different things depending on the context:

1. In Human Anatomy:

- It's the lowermost portion of nasal septum (the tissue that divides the nostrils)

- The fleshy, external part that extends from the tip of the nose to the upper lip

2. In Plant Anatomy:

- The central axis of the spore-bearing structure (sporangium) in mosses

- The central pillar in some types of fruits or seed pods

3. In Mollusk/Snail Shells:

- The central pillar or axis around which the shell coils

- Extends from the apex to the base of the shell

4. In Fungi:

- The sterile central axis in the sporangium of certain fungi

The term comes from the Latin word "columella" which means "little column," referring to its typically elongated, column-like structure in various organisms.