theca

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
theca /ˈθiːkə/

▶noun (pl. thecae /-siː/)

• 1 Anatomy the loose sheath enclosing the spinal cord.

• 2 Anatomy the outer layer of cells of a Graafian follicle.

• 3 Zoology a cup-like or tubular structure containing a coral polyp.

• 4 Botany each of the lobes of an anther, containing two pollen sacs.

– derivatives
thecate adjective.

– origin C17: via L. from Gk thēkē ‘case’.