1. The female reproductive organ in red algae that receives the male gamete and develops into the carposporophyte.
Usage: botany; specialized term used in phycology and algae biology

Examples

• The carpogonium is a distinctive feature of red algal reproduction.
• In red algae, the carpogonium receives the spermatium and initiates the development of the carposporophyte.
• Marine biologists study the carpogonium to understand the life cycles of Rhodophyta.
• The carpogonium contains the egg nucleus that will be fertilized during sexual reproduction in red algae.