A type of plant reproduction where male and female reproductive structures fuse to form a fruit or spore structure, particularly in certain algae and fungi.
From Greek karpos (fruit) and gamos (marriage/union). The term was coined in the 19th century by botanists studying algal reproduction to describe the fusion of gametes in fruit formation.
Red algae practice carpogamy in a wild way—after fertilization, they grow special threads that fuse with other cells to eventually create the fruit body, making them botanical matchmakers!
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