Defn: Sporadic.
SPORADICALLY
Spo*rad"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a sporadic manner.
SPORANGIOPHORE
Spo*ran"gi*o*phore, n. Etym: [Sporangium + Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: The axis or receptacle in certain ferns (as Trichomanes), which bears the sporangia.
SPORANGIUM
Spo*ran"gi*um, n.; pl. Sporangia. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A spore case in the cryptogamous plants, as in ferns, etc.
SPORE
Spore, n. Etym: [Gr. Sperm.]
1. (Bot.) (a) One of the minute grains in flowerless plants, which are analogous to seeds, as serving to reproduce the species.
Note: Spores are produced differently in the different classes of cryptogamous plants, and as regards their nature are often so unlike that they have only their minuteness in common. The peculiar spores of diatoms (called auxospores) increase in size, and at length acquire a siliceous coating, thus becoming new diatoms of full size. Compare Macrospore, Microspore, Oöspore, Restingspore, Sphærospore, Swarmspore, Tetraspore, Zoöspore, and Zygospore. (b) An embryo sac or embryonal vesicle in the ovules of flowering plants.