What is "conceptacle"

Conceptacle \Con*cep"ta*cle\, n. [L. conceptaculum, fr. concipere to receive. See Conceive.]

1. That in which anything is contained; a vessel; a receiver or receptacle. [Obs.]
   --Woodward.

2. (Bot.)

   1. A pericarp, opening longitudinally on one side and having the seeds loose in it; a follicle; a double follicle or pair of follicles.

   2. One of the cases containing the spores, etc., of flowerless plants, especially of algae.

n. 1 (context obsolete English) A cavity, especially in the body. 2 (context phycology English) A cavity in some marine algae that contains the reproductive organs.

Conceptacles are specialised cavities of marine and freshwater algae that contain the reproductive organs. They are situated in the receptacle and open by a small ostiole. Conceptacles are present in Corallinaceae, and Hildenbrandiales, as well as the brown Fucales. In the Fucales there is no haploid phase in the reproductive cycle and therefore no alternation of generations. The thallus is a sporophyte. The diploid plants produce male ( antheridia) and female ( oogonia) gametangia by meiosis. The gametes are released into the sea, after fusion the zygote settles and begins growth.

Two taxa, the corallines and Hildenbrandiaceae, bear conceptacles, although the striking difference between their formation indicates that the conceptacles are not homologous. Similar structures also exist: cryptostomata are similar to conceptacles but differ having only hairs and are sterile. Caecostomata, are found only in Fucus distichus, in these the ostiole becomes blocked during development.