noun
- plural of gametophore; specialized structures or branches in certain plants (especially mosses and liverworts) that bear or produce gametangia (sex organs).
Usage: botanical term; primarily used in bryology and plant biology
Examples
- The moss gametophores developed distinct male and female structures.
- Liverwort gametophores produce archegonia and antheridia for sexual reproduction.
- Botanists examined the gametophores under a microscope to identify the species.
- The gametophores of this bryophyte were unusually tall and branched.