Plural of ascocarp; the mature fruiting bodies of ascomycete fungi that contain and disperse spores.
From Greek askos (wineskin) plus karpos (fruit), combining into asco- (fungal sac) plus -carp (fruit). The structure was named for its sac-like appearance.
Fungi literally bear fruit just like apple trees do, and ascocarps are their fancy spore-launching spacecraft—some can explosively eject spores across incredible distances!
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