nounplural noun antheridia/ˌanθəˈrɪdɪə/

• The male sex organ of algae, mosses, ferns, fungi, and other non-flowering plants.

  ‘Since the asexual gametophyte does not form antheridia or archegonia, crosses to confirm its genotype could not be performed.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The receptacles are reproductive branches and contain many cavities with external pores which contain antheridia and oogonia, then through meiosis, sperm and egg are produced.’
  • ‘Notwithstanding their general similarity, the archegonia of mosses differ externally from antheridia in having a longer neck and longer stalk.’
  • ‘Fern gametes are free-swimming and a thin film of water is required for the male gametes to travel from the antheridia into the neck of the archcgonia to fertilize the eggs.’
  • ‘The parent also contains antheridia which produce sperm and an oogonium which produces the egg.’