Prothallus

1 definition found

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

  Prothallus \Pro*thal"lus\, n.; pl. {Prothalli}. [NL., fr. Gr. ?
     before + ? a young shoot.] (Bot.)
     The minute primary growth from the spore of ferns and other
     Pteridophyta, which bears the true sexual organs; the
     oophoric generation of ferns, etc.
     [1913 Webster]