sporophyte

noun

spo·​ro·​phyte ˈspȯr-ə-ˌfīt 

plural sporophytes

: the diploid, multicellular, asexual reproductive stage in plants and algae that develops from the zygote and that produces spores

The plants most people readily recognize as ferns actually are the sporophytes; the gametophyte may be completely overlooked as green fuzz growing on the side of the pot.

—Donald E. Fosket

compare gametophyte

sporophytic

ˌspȯr-ə-ˈfi-tik 

adjective

sporophytic growth of a plant

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sporophyte

noun

spo·​ro·​phyte ˈspōr-ə-ˌfīt 

ˈspȯr-

: the individual or generation of a plant having alternating sexual and asexual generations that produces asexual spores compare gametophyte

Medical Definition

sporophyte

noun

spo·​ro·​phyte -ˌfīt 

: an individual or generation of a plant exhibiting alternation of generations that bears asexual spores, is usually not clearly differentiated in algae and fungi, and in vascular plants is the conspicuous form ordinarily seen compare gametophyte

sporophytic

ˌspōr-ə-ˈfit-ik, ˌspȯr- 

adjective