sporophyte

spo·ro·phyte

noun \-ˌfīt\

Definition of SPOROPHYTE

: the diploid multicellular individual or generation of a plant with alternation of generations that begins from a diploid zygote and produces haploid spores by meiotic division — compare gametophyte

— spo·ro·phyt·ic \ˌspȯr-ə-ˈfi-tik\ adjective

Origin of SPOROPHYTE

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use: 1886

spo·ro·phyte

noun \-ˌfīt\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SPOROPHYTE

: 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

—spo·ro·phyt·ic \ˌspōr-ə-ˈfit-ik, ˌspȯr-\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

sporophyte

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In many plants and algae, the nonsexual phase in the alternation of generations, or an individual representing the phase. The alternate, sexual phase is the gametophyte. In the sporophyte phase, a diploid (see ploidy) plant body grows and eventually produces spores through meiosis. These spores divide by mitosis to produce haploid gametophytes, which then can carry out sexual reproduction.