kirtelaktige

The term *kirtelaktige* derives from the Swedish words “kirtel” meaning gland and “aktige” meaning resembling or like. It is used primarily in botanical and zoological contexts to describe structures that are similar in shape or function to glands, but do not perform the same endocrine activity. The adjective is often applied to plant tissues that form small, rounded swellings on stems or leaves, or to animal organs that present a glandular appearance without secreting hormones or enzymes.

In plant morphology, *kirtelaktige* structures can be found on the surfaces of certain herbaceous species. These nodular formations typically lack vascular tissue infiltration and are composed mainly of parenchyma cells. Their presence is sometimes an adaptive response to herbivory or environmental stress, where they may serve as a storage site for secondary metabolites or as a physical deterrent. Because they do not produce typical glandular compounds, botanists classify them separately from true galls or nectaries.

In zoology, the phrase is used to describe lymphoid nodules or other small, lymph‑shaped masses that mimic the appearance of lymph nodes. Although they resemble true nodes, they often lack the organized architecture of lymphoid tissue and can be found in ectothermic species as accessory immune structures.

Overall, *kirtelaktige* is a descriptive term employed by biologists to note superficial gland-like appearances in various organisms, allowing for differentiation between functional glands and analogous structures.