The female gamete in plants, located within the embryo sac of flowering plants or the archegonium of non-flowering plants. Upon fertilization by a sperm cell, it develops into the plant embryo.
From Old Norse 'egg' meaning the reproductive body of birds, later extended to all female reproductive cells, and 'cell' from Latin 'cella' meaning 'small room'. The botanical usage developed as microscopy revealed the cellular nature of plant reproduction in the 19th century.
Plant egg cells are incredibly patient - some can wait decades for the right pollen to arrive! Unlike animal eggs that have expiration dates, plant egg cells can remain viable for years, and in some cases, they can even develop into embryos without fertilization through a process called apomixis.
Egg metaphors reinforced passive female role in reproduction (female as vessel) while sperm carried active agency. Scientific language mirrored Victorian gender ideology; only 20th-century research revealed egg's active role in fertilization.
Use 'egg cell' or 'oocyte' descriptively; note that both egg and sperm are metabolically active gametes with reciprocal roles in fertilization. Avoid language implying eggs are merely passive recipients.
["oocyte","female gamete"]
Women researchers (Nettie Stevens, Dorothy Hodgkin's structural work) revealed egg cytoplasm's directional influence on embryogenesis—active participation long erased from male-authored textbooks.
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