protonema

American  

[proh-tuh-nee-muh] / ˌproʊ təˈni mə /

noun

Botany.

plural

protonemata

1. a primary, usually filamentous structure produced by the germination of the spore in mosses and certain related plants, and from which the leafy plant which bears the sexual organs arises as a lateral or terminal shoot.

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protonema British  

/ ˌprəʊtəˈniːmətəl, -ˈnɛmətəl, ˌprəʊtəˈniːmə /

noun

1. a branched threadlike structure that grows from a moss spore and eventually develops into the moss plant

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protonema Scientific  

/ prō′tə-nē′mə /

plural

protonemata

1. The green filamentous or flat, thallus-like structure that grows from the germinated spores of liverworts and mosses and eventually gives rise to a mature gametophyte.

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Other Word Forms

• protonemal adjective

Etymology

Origin of protonema

1855–60; < New Latin < Greek prōto- proto- + nêma thread