bráctea
bract
noun BRAHK-teh-ah Rare
Origin: Latin bractea (thin metal plate)
Usage Note
Bráctea is a botanical term for a modified leaf found at the base of a flower or inflorescence. In many plants the bracts are more colourful than the actual petals — the vivid 'leaves' of a buganvilia (bougainvillea) are technically bracts, not petals. The term is used in scientific and horticultural writing.
Examples
"Las brácteas rojas del poinsettia parecen flores."
Natural Translation
The red bracts of the poinsettia look like flowers.

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