sorus

[ sawr-uhs, sohr- ]

noun

, plural so·ri [sawr, -ahy, sohr, -ahy].

1. Botany. one of the clusters of sporangia on the back of the fronds of ferns.
2. Mycology. a soruslike spore mass of certain fungi and lichens.

sorus

/ ˈsɔːrəs /

noun

1. a cluster of sporangia on the undersurface of certain fern leaves
2. any of various similar spore-producing structures in some lichens and fungi

sorus

/ sôr′əs /

, Plural sori sôr′ī

1. A cluster of sporangia borne on the underside of a fern frond. A sorus is sometimes covered by an indusium.
2. Also called fruitdot
3. A reproductive structure consisting of masses of spores, characteristic of certain fungi such as rusts and smuts.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorus¹

1825–35; < New Latin < Greek sōrós heap

Word History and Origins

Origin of sorus¹

C19: via New Latin from Greek sōros a heap

Example Sentences

Here is a closeup, showing the fern sori I discussed here: Because I just can’t get enough of gorgeous and unusual ferns, here are some more.

From Scientific American

When you look at the back of a fern, you might think you are looking at a pile of spores Fern sori, a collection of microscopic but structurally complex sporangia.

From Scientific American

Sporangia borne on elevated receptacles, forming roundish sori imperfectly covered by very delicate hood-shaped indusia attached to the base of the receptacles.

From Project Gutenberg

In some species of Puccinia the sori are so compact that they remain attached to the leaves long after they are dead and fallen.

From Project Gutenberg

This occasionally happens from the elongation of the normally placed sorus, which thus extends to the margin, and returns on the upper side, when the sori chance to be placed opposite to the marginal crenatures.

From Project Gutenberg