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Glite Dictionary
antheridial

antheridial

9.9
Relating to the male part that makes sperm in mosses, ferns or algae
  • adjective
  • /ˌænθəˈrɪdiəl/
  • Specialized
: antheridial
  • The fern's antheridial cells are responsible for producing sperm.

Examples

  • The antheridial cells develop in male gametophytes.

  • Researchers noted differences in antheridial development among species.

  • Certain mosses exhibit prominent antheridial clusters during reproduction.

  • In some species, the antheridial structure is quite complex.

  • Certain mosses exhibit prominent antheridial clusters during reproduction.

  • The fern's antheridial cells are crucial for the formation of sperm in the reproductive process.

  • Researchers noted variations in antheridial development among different plant species.

Surface Forms

antheridial positive

Morphology

antheridial = antheridium (semi-transparent) = antheridi + al

The adjective is formed regularly from the technical noun 'antheridium' with the suffix -al, but the specialized base word makes the meaning less immediately accessible to many learners.

Etymology

The word antheridial comes from antheridium, the name for the small male part in some mosses, ferns, and algae, and is related to the familiar word anther, the pollen part of a flower. So antheridial means 'relating to the male part' that makes sperm in these plants.