en·do·sperm ( n d -spûrm )n. The nutritive tissue within seeds of flowering plants, surrounding and absorbed by the embryo. |
endosperm [ˈɛndəʊˌspɜːm]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) the tissue within the seed of a flowering plant that surrounds and nourishes the developing embryo
endospermic adj
| endosperm (nd-spûrm) The tissue that surrounds and provides nourishment to the embryo in the seeds of many angiosperms. The cells of the endosperm arise from a process similar to that of fertilization. The pollen of angiosperms contains two sperm, one of which fertilizes the egg cell in the female gametophyte. The second unites with two other nuclei in the female gametophyte, producing cells that are triploid (having three sets of chromosomes) and that develop into the endosperm. In some species of angiosperms, the endosperm is absorbed by the embryo before germination, while in others it is consumed during germination. Embyros that lack an endosperm (such as peas and beans) have absorbed most of their food storage tissues before becoming dormant and develop large, fleshy cotyledons. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  endosperm - nutritive tissue surrounding the embryo within seeds of flowering plantsreproductive structure - the parts of a plant involved in its reproduction seed - a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa |
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