sporangium

American  

[spuh-ran-jee-uhm] / spəˈræn dʒi əm /

noun

Botany, Mycology.

plural

sporangia

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

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sporangium British  

/ spəˈrændʒɪəm /

noun

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

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sporangium Scientific  

/ spə-răn′jē-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

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Other Word Forms

• sporangial adjective

Etymology

Origin of sporangium

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

Example Sentences

“In the early stages of growth, before the appearance of the sporangia, the interrupted fern is easily confused with the cinnamon fern. Luckily, there are several ways the careful observer might tell them apart....”

From Literature

There they saw ferns with leaves instead of fronds, ferns that loved the sun, ferns that lacked sporangia altogether, and other bizarre flukes of nature.

From Literature

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

From Science Magazine

Once eaten, the sporangium passes through the animal’s digestive system and is excreted back out in a rich pile of dung, whereupon the cycle of consumption and escape starts anew.

From New York Times

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

From New York Times