endosperm

[ en-duh-spurm ]

noun

, Botany.

1. nutritive matter in seed-plant ovules, derived from the embryo sac.

endosperm

/ ˈɛndəʊˌspɜːm /

noun

1. the tissue within the seed of a flowering plant that surrounds and nourishes the developing embryo

endosperm

/ ĕn′də-spûrm′ /

1. The tissue that surrounds and provides nourishment to the embryo in the seeds of many angiosperms. The cells of the endosperm arise from a process similar to that of fertilization. The pollen of angiosperms contains two sperm, one of which fertilizes the egg cell in the female gametophyte. The second unites with two other nuclei in the female gametophyte, producing cells that are triploid (having three sets of chromosomes) and that develop into the endosperm. In some species of angiosperms, the endosperm is absorbed by the embryo before germination, while in others it is consumed during germination. Embyros that lack an endosperm (such as peas and beans) have absorbed most of their food storage tissues before becoming dormant and develop large, fleshy cotyledons.

Derived Forms

• ˌendoˈspermic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of endosperm¹

1840–50; < French endosperme; endo-, sperm ¹

Example Sentences

In her research, she is focusing on a certain gene in a plant called Arabidopsis thaliana that is linked to asexual development of the endosperm, the “food storage” part of a seed that provides starch to the embryo.

From MIT Technology Review

However, thanks to the fiber in its endosperm, it has a nutritional profile that's even better than that of whole wheat.

From Outside Online

According to CSIRO, two enzymes were identified that, when reduced in regular wheat, increased the total fiber content in the endosperm.

From Outside Online