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sporangium

American  
[spuh-ran-jee-uhm] / spəˈræn dʒi əm /

noun

Botany, Mycology.

PLURAL

sporangia
  1. the case or sac in which spores are produced.


sporangium British  
/ spəˈrændʒɪəm /

noun

  1. any organ, esp in fungi, in which asexual spores are produced

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

sporangium Scientific  
/ spə-rănjē-əm /

PLURAL

sporangia
  1. A cell or structure in which spores are produced. Ferns, fungi, mosses, and algae release spores from sporangia.

  2. Also called spore case


Other Word Forms

  • sporangial adjective

Etymology

Origin of sporangium

1815–25; < New Latin, equivalent to spor- spor- + Greek angeîon vessel

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

These pollen gene controllers are active in maidenhair’s sporangia, the tissue where spores develop.

From Science Magazine

Then something magical happens: The fungus stops eating and rearranges itself into a giant stalk with a ball of cells — a sporangium — on top.

From New York Times

The gold was gone; now bunches of grapelike sporangia glittered.

From New York Times

"It's rare to get this many sporangia with well-preserved spores that you can measure," Leslie added.

From Fox News

The blackberry-like clusters set in the reproductive tiara are sporangia containing many spores, each with a ridged annulus like the bristles on a Roman helmet.

From Scientific American