crenated

Crenated is an adjective describing something that has crenations, or a margin with rounded projections that resemble teeth or scallops. The term is used across disciplines to describe surfaces or outlines that display a regular series of shallow notches or teeth, from biological specimens to botanical descriptions.

In biology, crenation refers to the process or result of cells shrinking and developing a scalloped or spiky border. This often occurs when cells, particularly red blood cells, are placed in hypertonic solutions, causing water to leave the cell by osmosis. Under a microscope, crenated cells show a wrinkled or scalloped perimeter rather than a smooth contour. Crenation is distinct from lysis, where cells burst due to excessive swelling.

In botany and plant morphology, crenate describes leaves, petals, or other organs with margins that have rounded teeth or scallops. This contrasts with serrate margins, which have sharper, more saw-like teeth, and with crenulate margins, which feature finer, closely spaced teeth. The term helps differentiate fine gradations in edge texture used in species descriptions and identification.

Etymology traces crenated and crenation to Latin crenatus, meaning notched or divided, from crēna, notch. The word is used in various scientific and descriptive contexts to convey a margin or surface that appears regularly indented with rounded projections.