heterosporous

[ het-uh-ros-puh-ruhs, het-er-uh-spawr-uhs, -spohr- ]

adjective

, Botany.

1. having more than one kind of spore.

heterosporous

/ ˌhɛtəˈrɒspərəs /

adjective

1. (of seed plants and some ferns and club mosses) producing megaspores and microspores Compare homosporous

heterosporous

/ hĕt′ər-ə-spôr′əs,hĕt′ə-rŏs′pər-əs /

1. Producing two types of spores differing in size and sex, the male microspore and the female megaspore, which develop into separate male and female gametophytes. All seed-bearing plants, as well as some ferns and other seedless plants, are heterosporous.
2. Compare homosporous

Derived Forms

• ˌheterˈospory, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterosporous¹

First recorded in 1870–75; hetero- + -sporous

Example Sentences

"Usually when we see heterosporous plants appear in the fossil record, they just sort of pop into existence," said the study's senior author, Andrew Leslie, in a statement.

From Fox News

Selaginella, sē-laj-i-nel′a, n. a genus of heterosporous cryptogams, allied to club-moss.

From Project Gutenberg

Salvinia, sal-vin′i-a, n. a genus of heterosporous ferns—formerly called Rhizocarpe� or Pepperworts.

From Project Gutenberg

Heterosporous, het-e-ro-spō′rus, adj. having more than one kind of asexually produced spores.

From Project Gutenberg

This specially advanced form of fructification goes back at least as far as the Lower Carboniferous, while the oldest known genus of Lycopods, Bothrodendron, which is found in the Devonian, though not seed-bearing, was typically heterosporous, if we may judge from the Coal-measure species.

From Project Gutenberg