Oophyte

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Oophyte \O"o*phyte\, n. [Gr. w,'o`n an egg + fyto`n a plant.]
     (Bot.)
     Any plant of a proposed class or grand division (collectively
     termed oophytes or Oophyta), which have their sexual
     reproduction accomplished by motile antherozoids acting on
     oospheres, either while included in their oogonia or after


     exclusion.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: This class was at first called Oosporeae, and is made
           to include all algae and fungi which have this kind of
           reproduction, however they may differ in all other
           respects, the contrasted classes of Thallophytes being
           Protophytes, Zygophytes, and Carpophytes. The whole
           system has its earnest advocates, but is rejected by
           many botanists. See {Carpophyte}.
           [1913 Webster]