microsporangium

[ mahy-kroh-spaw-ran-jee-uhm, -spoh- ]

noun

, Botany.

, plural mi·cro·spo·ran·gi·a [mahy-kroh-spaw-, ran, -jee-, uh, -spoh-].

1. a sporangium containing microspores.

microsporangium

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊspɔːˈrændʒɪəm /

noun

1. the structure in certain spore-bearing plants in which the microspores are formed: corresponds to the pollen sac in seed plants Compare megasporangium

microsporangium

/ mī′krō-spə-răn′jē-əm /

, Plural microsporangia

1. A plant structure in which microspores are formed. The pollen-producing male cones of a pine consist of many microsporangia, where the microspores of the pine develop into pollen grains to be dispersed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of microsporangium¹

First recorded in 1880–85; micro- + sporangium

Example Sentences

C, longitudinal section of a spike, with a single macrosporangium at the base; the others, microsporangia, × 3.

From Project Gutenberg