waxy layer outside the epidermis of a leaf that retards water loss and helps protect the leaf from insects and diseases.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
cuticle (noun)1.
an outer covering layer as
a) an external envelope (as of an insect) secreted usually by epidermal cells
b) the outermost layer of animal integument composed of epidermis
c) a thin continuous fatty or waxy film on the external surface of many higher plants that consists chiefly of - cutin
d) the outermost membranous layer of a hair consisting of overlapping scales of epithelial cells
2.
dead or horny epidermis
cuticle (Wikipedia)
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A cuticle /ˈkjuːtɪkəl/, or cuticula, is any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticle" are non-homologous, differing in their origin, structure, function, and chemical composition.