Definition

The stage in a plant's life cycle that produces spores and is formed from a fertilized egg, leading to the next generation.

Example

The sporophyte of the fern is the dominant phase in its life cycle, producing spores for reproduction.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a sporophyte in plants?

Yeah, I think it's the stage where they produce spores, right?

Exactly! It's fascinating how plants alternate generations like that.

I love learning about plant biology; it's so interesting!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sporophyte → It is formed from "sporo-" (from Greek "sporos", meaning seed or spore) and "phyte" (from Greek "phyton", meaning plant). The word "sporophyte" refers to the plant stage that produces spores, thus connecting the concepts of spore and plant.

Memory Tip

Think of 'spore' ('sporo-') as the seed and 'phyte' as the plant — a sporophyte is a plant that produces spores.

Visually Confused Words