noun
- A spore-containing sac or tube found in ascomycete fungi, typically containing eight spores.
Usage: biology; mycology; plural: asci
Examples
- The ascus is the defining reproductive structure of ascomycete fungi.
- Under the microscope, the biologist observed eight spores arranged within a single ascus.
- Asci develop inside the fruiting body of cup fungi and morels.
- The release of spores from the ascus helps fungi spread to new environments.
- Mycologists identify ascomycetes by examining the structure and arrangement of their asci.