sporophyte

American  

[spawr-uh-fahyt, spohr-] / ˈspɔr əˌfaɪt, ˈspoʊr- /

noun

Botany.

1. the form of a plant in the alternation of generations that produces asexual spores.

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sporophyte British  

/ ˈspɒ-, ˌspɔːrəˈfɪtɪk, ˈspɔːrəʊˌfaɪt, ˌspɒ- /

noun

1. the diploid form of plants that have alternation of generations. It develops from a zygote and produces asexual spores Compare gametophyte

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sporophyte Scientific  

/ spôr′ə-fīt′ /

1. Among organisms which display an alternation of generations (such as plants, fungi, and certain algae), the individual diploid organism that produces spores. A sporophyte develops from an embryo resulting from the union of two gametes. Each of its cells has two sets of chromosomes, as opposed to the haploid gametophyte generation.

2. See more at alternation of generations gametophyte

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sporophytic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sporophyte

First recorded in 1885–90; sporo- + -phyte

Compare meaning

How does sporophyte compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sporophyte vs. gametophyte

Example Sentences

In both seedless and seed plants, the female gametophyte provides protection and nutrients to the embryo as it develops into the new generation of sporophyte.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Both the gametophyte and sporophyte stages are multicellular.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

In bryophytes, such as mosses, the haploid gametophyte is more developed than the sporophyte.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The life cycle of higher plants is dominated by the sporophyte stage, with the gametophyte borne on the sporophyte.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Thus in Pellia the nuclei of the gametophyte have eight chromosomes and those of the sporophyte sixteen.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various