megasporangium

[ meg-uh-spaw-ran-jee-uhm, -spoh- ]

noun

, Botany.

, plural meg·a·spo·ran·gi·a [meg-, uh, -spaw-, ran, -jee-, uh, -spoh-].

1. a sporangium containing megaspores.

megasporangium

/ ˌmɛɡəspɔːˈrændʒɪəm /

noun

1. the structure in certain spore-bearing plants in which the megaspores are formed: corresponds to the ovule in seed plants Compare microsporangium

megasporangium

/ mĕg′ə-spə-răn′jē-əm /

, Plural megasporangia

1. A plant structure in which megaspores are formed, such as those of the female cones of pines.

Word History and Origins

Origin of megasporangium¹

First recorded in 1885–90; mega- + sporangium

Example Sentences

These are with few exceptions foliar structures, known in comparative morphology as sporophylls, because they bear the spores, namely, the microspores or pollen-grains which are developed in the microsporangia or pollen-sacs, and the megaspore, which is contained in the ovule or megasporangium.

From Project Gutenberg