Homospory (Noun)
Meaning
The development of a single kind of asexual spores.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Homospory is a common feature of liverworts and hornworts, which produce a single type of spore that develops into a new individual.
- The transition from homospory to heterospory represents a major evolutionary milestone in the development of land plants.
- In some species of ferns, homospory is still present, where a single type of spore is produced and gives rise to a bisexual gametophyte.
- The evolutionary advantages of homospory include the ability to colonize new habitats more quickly and efficiently.
- Homospory is thought to have been the dominant mode of spore production in ancient land plants, before the evolution of heterospory.