areole

noun

(L. areola: small yard, space, small area) A small, well-defined area on a surface, as the area between the veinlets of a leaf or the region of a cactus bearing the flowers and spines (or spines). A space between the threads of a net; in Cactaceae, a cluster of hairs or spines or bristles borne at the node of a leafless stem; a round or elongated often raised or depressed area on a cactus which is equivalent to a bud and from which spines, flowers, stems, or roots grow; in Mimosaceae (for example), a distinct, oblong or elliptical area on the face of a seed, bounded by a fine line. A small pit or cavity marked out upon a surface.