prothallium

American  

[proh-thal-ee-uhm] / proʊˈθæl i əm /

noun

• prothallia
  plural

1. Botany. the gametophyte of ferns and related plants.

2. the analogous rudimentary gametophyte of seed-bearing plants.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prothallial
  adjective
• prothallic
  adjective
• prothalline
  adjective
• prothalloid
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prothallia
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prothallium

1855–60; < New Latin < Greek pro- pro- ² + thallíon, diminutive of thallós young shoot; see -ium

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prothallium prothallia

To make these, the prothallium should be placed between small pieces of pith, and the razor must be very sharp.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

In the upper part of the prothallium several large archegonia are formed in much the same way as in the pteridophytes.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

F, a female prothallium, seen from below, × 12. ar. archegonia.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

Fig. 67.—A, embryo of the ostrich fern just before breaking through the prothallium, × 50. st. apex of stem. l, first leaf. r, first root. ar. neck of the archegonium.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

In studying the development of the antheridia, it is only necessary to mount the plants in water and examine them directly; but the study of the archegonia requires careful longitudinal sections of the prothallium.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

Both male and female prothallia are much branched and very irregular in shape.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

With care it is possible to get the mature prothallia, which should be treated as described for the fern prothallia.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

Almost nothing is known of the prothallia of our native species.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell

The former produce male, the latter female prothallia.

From Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses by Douglas Houghton Campbell