/sperr may"shee euhm/ , n. , pl. spermatia /-shee euh/ .
1. Bot. the nonmotile male gamete of a red alga.
2. Mycol. a minute, colorless cell, of certain fungi and lichens, believed to be a male reproductive body, developed within spermogonia.
[ 1855-60; spermátion, equiv. to spermat- (s. of spérma ) SPERM 1 + -ion -IUM ]