(sensu Fægri, 1956) The outer part of the exine, which stains positively with basic fuchsin in optical microscopy and has higher electron density in conventionally prepared TEM sections. Orthographical variant: ektexine. Comment: Ectexine includes the foot layer (nexine 1), if present. Erdtman introduced the term in 1943, but used sexine in his later publications. See also: sexine, endexine.