microspore

American  

[mahy-kruh-spawr, ‑-spohr] / ˈmaɪ krəˌspɔr, ‑ˌspoʊr /

noun

Botany.

1. the smaller of the two kinds of spores characteristically produced by seed plants and some fern allies, developing into a male gametophyte.

2. a pollen grain.

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microspore British  

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌspɔː /

noun

1. the smaller of two types of spore produced by some spore-bearing plants, which develops into the male gametophyte Compare megaspore

2. the pollen grain of seed plants

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microspore Scientific  

/ mīk′rə-spôr′ /

1. One of the two types of haploid spores produced by a heterosporous plant. Microspores develop into male gametophytes and are usually smaller than megaspores. In angiosperms, the microspore develops into the pollen grain.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• microsporous
  adjective
• microsporic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of microspore

First recorded in 1855–60; micro- + -spore

Example Sentences

Illustration shows the formation of pollen from a microspore mother cell.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The microsporangium contains microspore mother cells, which divide by meiosis to produce haploid microspores.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Figure 2. Pollen develops from the microspore mother cells.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The microspore undergoes meiosis, producing four cells, each of which becomes a grain of pollen with a hard coating.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Three small cells occur inside the cavity of the microspore; two of them collapse and the third divides into two, forming a stalk-cell and a larger body-cell.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various