a. [ L. proles offspring + -ferous. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Bot.) Bearing offspring; -- applied to a flower from within which another is produced, or to a branch or frond from which another rises, or to a plant which is reproduced by buds or gemmæ. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) Producing young by budding. (b) Producing sexual zooids by budding; -- said of the blastostyle of a hydroid. (c) Producing a cluster of branchlets from a larger branch; -- said of corals. [ 1913 Webster ]

Proliferous cyst (Med.), a cyst that produces highly-organized or even vascular structures. Paget. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Pro*lif"er*ous*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]