1. a leaf or modified leaf that bears sporangia (structures containing spores)
Usage: botanical

Examples

• The fern’s sporophylls are easily distinguished from its regular fronds by the brown spots on their undersides.
• In many plants, sporophylls are specialized structures that differ significantly from vegetative leaves.
• The botanist examined the sporophyll under a microscope to study the spore-bearing structures.
• Cone scales in pine trees are examples of sporophylls that have been highly modified.
• The sporophyll produces and releases spores as part of the plant’s reproductive cycle.
• Some plants have sporophylls that look very similar to their normal leaves.