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A mass or ball of cells formed by the repeated division of a male germinal cell (spermospore), each constituent cell (spermoblast) of which is converted into a spermatozoid; a spermatogemma.

A spore case in the cryptogamous plants, as in ferns, etc.

A secondary spore, or a filament produced from a spore, in certain kinds of minute fungi.

Bearing or producing spores.

Spore formation. See Spore formation (b), under Spore.

A closed body or conceptacle containing one or more masses of spores or sporangia.

reproduction by spores.

ain cryptogamous plants, as ferns, mosses, and the like, which is nonsexual, but produces spores in countless numbers. In ferns it is the leafy plant, in mosses the capsule. Cf. Oöphore.

In plants exhibiting alternation of generations, the generation which bears asexual spores; -- opposed to gametophyte. It is not clearly differentiated in the life cycle of the lower plants. -- Spo`ro*phyt"ic (#), a.

Same as Zoöspore.

In certain Sporozoa, a small active, usually elongate, sickle- shaped or somewhat amoboid spore, esp. one of those produced by division of the passive spores into which the zygote divides. The sporozoites reproduce asexually.

The act or process of forming spores; spore formation. See Illust. of Bacillus, b.

A small spore; a spore.

Free from reproductive spores or germs; as, a sterile fluid.

Quality of being sterile; infecundity; also, the state of being free from germs or spores.

To destroy all spores or germs in (an organic fluid or mixture), as by heat, so as to prevent the development of bacterial or other organisms.

A special podlike or fusiform branch containing tetraspores. It is found in certain red algæ.

en algæ, yeasts, etc., are unicellular and reproduce vegetatively or by means of asexual spores; in the higher forms the plant body is a thallus, which may be filamentous or may consist of plates of cells; it is commonly undifferentiated into stem, leaves, and roots, and shows no distinct tissue systems; the fronds of…

A sheath; a case; as, the theca, or cell, of an anther; the theca, or spore case, of a fungus; the theca of the spinal cord.

Having the spores in thecæ, or cases.