ascogonia
|as-co-go-ni-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌæs.kəˈɡoʊ.ni.ə/
🇬🇧
/ˌæs.kəˈɡəʊ.ni.ə/
(ascogonium)
reproductive sac/cell (fungi)
Etymology
'ascogonium' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'ascogonium', where the prefix 'asco-' comes from Greek 'askos' meaning 'sac' and the suffix '-gonium' comes from Greek 'gonos' meaning 'seed' or 'offspring'.
'ascogonium' was formed in scientific New Latin from the Greek roots 'askos' + 'gonos' and entered mycological English usage in the 19th century; the regular classical pluralization produced 'ascogonia'.
Initially it referred broadly to a 'sac' or reproductive unit (from the Greek root), but over time it became specialized in mycology to denote the female reproductive organ/cell in sac fungi (Ascomycetes).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'ascogonium': the female reproductive cell or organ in certain fungi (notably the Ascomycetes), a receptive hyphal cell that accepts male nuclei and gives rise to ascogenous hyphae and ultimately asci.
Under the microscope, the ascogonia of the specimen were observed developing ascogenous hyphae after plasmogamy.
Last updated: 2025/10/27 00:30