protonema

(prōt′ə nē′mə)

Bot. a threadlike growth in mosses, arising from a spore and developing small buds that grow into leafy moss plants

Origin: ModL < Gr prōto-, proto- + nēma (gen. nēmatos), thread

Related Forms:

See protonema in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. pro·to·ne·ma·ta (-nēˈmə-tə, -nĕmˈə-)

The green filamentous growth that arises from spore germination in liverworts and mosses and eventually gives rise to a mature gametophyte.

Origin:

Origin: proto-

Origin: + Greek nēma, thread; see (s)nē- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

proˌto·neˈmal (-nēˈməl), proˌto·neˈma·tal (-nēˈmə-təl, -nĕmˈə-) adjective

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