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

As soon as the fern is firmly established, the prothallium withers away.

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

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton

He showed that "the embryo-sac of the Coniferae may be looked upon as a spore remaining enclosed in its sporangium; the prothallium which it forms does not come to the light."

From Darwin and Modern Science by Seward, A. C. (Albert Charles)

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton

The former produce male, the latter female prothallia.

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

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton

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 Campbell, Douglas Houghton