What is "ascidium"

Ascidium \As*cid"i*um\ ([a^]s*s[i^]d"[i^]*[u^]m), n.; pl. Ascidia (-[.a]). [NL., fr. ascus. See Ascus.]

1. (Bot.) A pitcher-shaped, or flask-shaped, organ or appendage of a plant, as the leaves of the pitcher plant, or the little bladderlike traps of the bladderwort (Utricularia).

2. pl. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of simple ascidians, which formerly included most of the known species. It is sometimes used as a name for the Ascidioidea, or for all the Tunicata.

n. 1 (context botany English) A pitcher-shaped or flask-shaped organ or appendage of a plant. 2 (context zoology English) One of the former genus (taxlink Ascidium genus noshow=1) of simple ascidians, which formerly included most of the known species; sometimes used as a name for the ''(taxlink Ascidiidae family noshow=1)'' or for all the ''(taxlink Tunicata genus noshow=1)'', or Ascidiacea.