macrogamete
plant anatomy
Quick Summary
A macrogamete is the larger, typically female gamete of a heterogamous organism. In plants, this is part of the reproductive cycle, where the sporophyte phase produces gametophytes. The megagametophyte, which arises from a megaspore, is the female gametophyte and produces the egg cell. This contrasts with the microgametophyte, which is the male gametophyte and produces sperm. The macrogamete, or egg, is essential for fertilization, leading to the development of a new sporophyte generation.123456
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
7 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
