Definition
cystocarps
noun
- Plural of cystocarp; the fruiting bodies of red algae that develop after fertilization and contain spores.
Usage: botanical; technical; used in phycology (study of algae)
Examples
- The cystocarps of the red algae were visible under the microscope as small, rounded structures.
- Marine biologists examined the cystocarps to understand the reproductive cycle of the species.
- The development of cystocarps in red algae is a key stage in their life history.
- Cystocarps contain carpospores that are released to disperse the algae.