Originally (and still often) occurring in scientific Latin compounds with a distinguishing word specifying the substance contained in or received by the organ, as receptaculum chyli (of chyle), receptaculum seminis (of semen), etc..
2Botany = receptacle. Now rare.
3ChieflyMycology = receptacle. Now rare.
Origin
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Thomas Sprat (d. 1713), bishop of Rochester. From classical Latin receptāculumreceptacle.