odumelého

Odumělého is the genitive singular form of the Czech adjective odumělý, meaning dead, withered, or dried out. It is used to describe plant material or tissues that have ceased living functions, most often with neuter nouns such as dřevo (dead wood) or strom (dead tree). The word is commonly found in forestry, botany, and ecology to distinguish non-living plant matter from living parts of a plant or tree.

Grammatical note: odumělý forms the genitive singular as odumělého when modifying masculine or neuter nouns in contexts like odumělého dřeva or odumělého stromu. The term emphasizes the absence of vitality and is used descriptively rather than as a moral judgment. In everyday language it can also describe a plant organ that no longer functions, such as a leaf or branch that has died.

Context and usage: In forestry, botany, and ecological writing, odumělého dřeva refers to dead wood, which can play an important role as habitat for fungi, insects, and other organisms and as a source of nutrients as it decays. The expression is neutral, focusing on the physiological state of the material rather than its condition or value. In contrast with živé dřevo (live wood), odumělého dřeva signals a transition from living tissue to decay.

Related terms include odumřít (to die), odumírat (to die off), and mrtvý (dead). The concept helps describe stages of plant senescence, decay processes, and ecosystem succession.