What are monoecious and dioecious plants. flower structure

Compare Dioecious plants, Polyoecious plants.

Modern Encyclopedia. 2000 .

See what "SINGLE-HOUSE PLANTS" is in other dictionaries:

    Monogamous, plants, in which unisexual flowers are male (staminate) and female (pistillate) or other male. and wives. the sex organs (in non-flowering plants) are on the same plant. Birch, hazel, oak, pine, spruce, corn, pumpkin, many more ... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

    Alder monoecious plant Monoecious plants are called plants that have same-sex flowers, while male and female flowers are located on the same plant. Monoecious are, in particular, birch, alder, corn, many plants from the family ... Wikipedia

    Plants in which same-sex female (pistil) and male (staminate) flowers are on the same individual, for example. hazel, corn. Wed Dioecious plants, Polyoecious plants... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    monoecious plants- SINGLE-HOUSE PLANTS, plants in which same-sex female (pistillate) and male (staminate) flowers are on the same individual, for example, hazel, corn. Compare Dioecious plants, Polyoecious plants. … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

    Plants in which same-sex female (pistillate) and male (staminate) flowers are on the same individual, for example, hazel, corn. Wed Dioecious plants, Polyoecious plants. * * * SINGLE-HOUSE PLANTS SINGLE-HOUSE PLANTS, plants,… … encyclopedic Dictionary

    Plants in which male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers are of the same sex are on the same plant. Examples of O. r.: birch, hazel, oak, pine, spruce, corn, pumpkin. O.r. also called plants that do not have flowers, in ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

    Plants that have same-sex females (pistillate) and male. (staminate) flowers are found on the same individual, e.g. hazel, corn. Wed Dioecious plants, Polyoecious plants... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

    SINGLE-HOME PLANTS- plants in which staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers or male and female organs of sexual reproduction (in non-flowering plants) develop on the same individual. To O. r. most of the seedbeds with heterosexual cones and flowers belong ... Agricultural Encyclopedic Dictionary

    monoecious plants- plants in which staminate and pistillate flowers (in flowering plants) or antheridia and archegonia (in archegonial plants) are formed on the same plant ... Plant anatomy and morphology

    SINGLE-HOME PLANTS- plants in which male and female generative organs (staminate and pistillate flowers in flowering plants, antheridia and archegonia in archegonial plants) are on the same specimen (for example, in Zea mays L., species of the genus Fagus, many mosses) ... Glossary of botanical terms

All plants from the department of Angiosperms (flowering) are divided into groups and can be either dioecious or monoecious specimens. This article will discuss the differences between dioecious and monoecious plants, what is dioeciousness and which plants belong to the dioecious group.

What is dichotomy

The dioecious group includes specimens that are endowed with female or male flowers, that is, pistils and stamens cannot be together on the same flower and even on the same representative of the flora. In connection with this feature, the possibility of self-pollination is completely excluded. Plants can be pollinated by xenogamy - cross-pollination, as a result of which the pollen from one specimen is transferred to the stigma of the pistils of another plant.


Thus, pollination of flowers is possible only if bees and other insects that consume plant pollen carry out the process of pollination. The disadvantage of cross-pollination is the fact that half of the flowers never produce seeds.

Important! Some scientists are inclined to think that it is possible to separate the sex of plants and classify them as dioecious or monoecious not only angiosperms, but also non-flowering ones, which are endowed with male and female generative organs. Therefore, these groups often include plants that are not prone to flowering.

What is the difference between monoecious and dioecious plants

Monoecious plants are characterized by the presence of heterosexual flowers on one specimen, while dioecious have flowers of only one sex per plant. Monoecious plants are often pollinated by wind, that is, under the influence of air, pollen from one flower is transferred to another, dioecious plants are pollinated only if pollen is transferred from a male flower to a female by insects.


Dioecious plants are presented pistachio, poplar, aspen, actinidia, sorrel, figs, hemp, velvet.

Dioecious representatives

In order to have an idea about dioecious plants, it is necessary to consider a brief description of some representatives of this group.

Actinidia is a genus of woody vines with 75 species. Actinidia are widespread in the southeastern part of Asia and the Himalayas. They belong to shrubs, lianas, a feature of which is a tendency to leaf fall. The buds of these plants are all or partially hidden in leaf scars, the leaves are alternate, have a jagged edge. The flowers can be small, about 1 cm in diameter, or medium up to 3 cm.


Most species have odorless, white flowers, sometimes there are buds with a golden yellow or orange tint. The fruit of plants is represented by an oblong berry, yellow-green or light orange in color. The most famous representative of actinidia is actinidia gourmet, which is known to everyone under the name kiwi.

Actinidia is planted as an ornamental plant, often used as a medicine, and the fruits of edible varieties are eaten.


In nature, actinidia grow in sparse forests, where natural penumbra is created, therefore, for landing at home, it is desirable to create the same conditions. Despite the fact that actinidia grows well in shaded areas, it is better to plant it on the sunny side, since fruiting occurs only with sufficient illumination. Actinidia thrives on soils with low amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, but does not tolerate alkaline soils. The best option is slightly acidic soils. It is undesirable to plant plants on heavy clay soil.

Important! If actinidia is planted as a fruit-bearing crop, then it is imperative to combine female and male plants in one planting - for every 3 specimens with female flowers there must be at least 1 male representative.

Velvet belongs to deciduous trees, reaches 20 to 30 m in height, with an extensive trunk diameter of about 120 cm. The crown of the tree in the forests is highly raised, in single plantings it is characterized by a spherical shape. The plant has an ash-gray bark, with a beautiful decorative appearance, in young trees the bark is with a silvery overflow. The upper layer of the bark is characterized by a velvety structure, represented by a cork with a thickness of more than 5 cm, the inner layer of the bark has a yellow color, a specific smell. The foliage is rich green in color, the leaves are alternate, similar in shape to ash leaves, but with narrower plates and a characteristic unpleasant odor.


The flowers are quite small, inconspicuous, up to 1 cm in diameter, have a greenish tint, the flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences, up to 12 cm long. Fruit ripening occurs in autumn, the fruits are spherical, black, shiny drupes, unsuitable for consumption, characterized by a sharp unpleasant odor. Velvet can be found in Manchuria, the Khabarovsk Territory, the Amur and Primorye, China, Korea, Taiwan, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and Japan. Velvet is a relic plant, since this tree existed long before the glaciation.

Did you know? Relic plants include representatives of the flora that were common in past geological eras.

Velvet as an ornamental plant is very common in European countries and North America, popular for planting in the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Velvet is used for medicinal purposes, it belongs to good honey plants. Also, the bark is often used to make yellow dye for dyeing various types of fabrics. A large layer of cork is used to make bottle caps, used as a building material, for floats, life buoys, bibs, souvenirs. Cork from a tree is separated quite easily, without harming the tree itself. Velvet wood is characterized by a beautiful color and expressive pattern, which is why it is used for the production of furniture and decorative elements.


When choosing a place for planting velvet, it must be taken into account that the tree is a long-liver, therefore, so that its roots do not harm buildings, place the tree away from buildings. Also, if in the future you plan to build something near a tree, try to get as far away from the velvet as possible so as not to harm the roots and not destroy the plant. The tree must be provided with shade, so it is better to plant it in the garden, cultivated loams are suitable soil for planting, sandy soils are not suitable for planting.

Sandman is an annual, biennial, in some cases perennial plant, reaches a height of 80 cm. Depending on the age of dormancy, the plant is characterized by some differences in appearance. Small specimens have oval leaves, reaching a length of 10 cm, over time, forked stems with paired lanceolate leaves appear on the plant. Buds up to 3 cm in diameter are presented in the form of inflorescences and are located at the top of the stem, each bud has 5 petals, blooms from late spring to early autumn, flowering is white. Sandman is common in European countries, in the west of Asia and in North America.


Sandman is sometimes used for the production of hygiene products, as it has a large amount of saponins, which, in the form of solutions, when shaken, can form a thick, stable foam. Sandman is a fairly frost-resistant plant, therefore it is able to endure cold harsh winters. At the moment, the nap is not cultural and is not used in industry.

Important! The maximum decorative effect of the nap is achieved when planting on drained neutral, slightly acidic soils; a normal plant develops on sandy dry soils.

Sandman grows in well-lit areas, but can tolerate light partial shade, so it is better to plant it in sunny areas. The plant does not need particularly fertile soil, it grows well on ordinary garden soils, the only necessary condition is the friability of the soil.


Willow is a genus of woody plants, which includes about 550 species. Trees grow up to 15 meters in height, sometimes there are species up to 40 meters. Instances growing in the north are stunted, and in mountainous areas willows are found as low-growing creeping shrubs, with a minimum height of up to several centimeters. Depending on the type of willow, the leaves can be thick, curly, bright green or sparse, translucent grayish green or grayish white. The leaves are planted alternately, the leaf blade can be wide elliptical or rather narrow and long, with entire or serrated edges, the blades are shiny.


A characteristic feature of some species is the presence of fairly large stipules, which develop most often in young shoots. The stems are branched, the branches of the plant are quite thin, flexible, prone to brittleness, the buds can be dark brown, red-yellow. Willow flowers are very small, collected in dense inflorescences, so they are easy to spot. After flowering, fruits appear - boxes with small fluffy seeds. Willow is a common plant and grows in the middle part of Russia, in North America, some species grow in the tropics.

Willow is used as an ornamental specimen, also often some species are planted in order to strengthen loose soils and sands, since the root system of the tree is plentiful, very developed, with numerous branches. Wood is used for the production of dishes and decorative elements. Willow is a valuable honey plant, the bark of certain species is suitable for tanning leather. Very often, wood is used as a material for the manufacture of wickerwork. Willow leaves are popular in folk medicine as a medicinal raw material.


Willow develops well on loamy and sandy soils, plant a tree in an area with the most moisture-intensive soil, in a well-lit area.

The fig is a subtropical deciduous plant belonging to the genus Ficus.. The tree has light gray smooth bark. The plant is characterized by the presence of large, alternately planted multi-lobed or divided hard leaves. Leaf axils have generative shoots and contain inflorescences of two types - caprifigs and figs. Caprifigs are male flowers, they have small inflorescences, figs are female flowers with large inflorescences.


Pollination of figs occurs due to blastophage wasps, it is they who transfer pollen from male trees to female ones. Fruits appear on the tree - figs, inside with a lot of seeds, sweet and juicy. Depending on the variety, the color of the fruit can be yellow, blue or dark blue, yellow-green fruits are often found.

Figs are widespread in the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia, on the southern coast of Crimea, in Central Asia. Often, a fig tree is planted in order to obtain a crop of figs, which are eaten fresh, dried and canned, they are a separate delicacy, and can also be used to make jam and as an addition to other desserts. In folk medicine, fig leaves are used as medicinal raw materials.


Plant a tree in a well-lit area, in the south of the site so that the figs are protected from strong winds. The tree prefers light loams with good breathability.

Important!Figs are also planted as a houseplant in an apartment, it does not grow very large, but is capable of fruiting.

Hemp is an annual, fibrous plant. It is characterized by the presence of an upright stem, rounded at the base, opposite leaf arrangement on the upper part of the plant and with another one on the lower. The leaves are complex, numbering 5-7 leaves with a serrated edge, more leaves are located towards the base of the stem than towards the top. The flowers of the plant are represented by inflorescences in the form of a complex spike, in place of which bivalve nuts appear, having an ovoid or elongated shape, a smooth or ribbed structure, gray-green or brown in color. The plant is widely distributed throughout the world, can grow in both tropical and temperate zones.


Previously, the plant was grown in order to obtain seeds and oil from it, as well as fibers that were used in everyday life. Cannabis has also been used for medicinal purposes and has been used as a recreational drug. Hemp can be useful in the production of ropes, ropes, cables, clothing, paper and thread, as the plant consists of very strong fibers.

Hemp is quite demanding on the soil and where it grows. Therefore, before landing, it is necessary to create all the necessary conditions. The plant prefers well-lit areas under the open sun, the soil must contain a lot of nutrients, be moisture-intensive, as hemp does not tolerate drought.


Nettle is classified as a perennial herb. it is characterized by the presence of strong roots and with multiple small branches. Nettle height is from 30 cm to 2 m. There are many burning hairs on the stem and leaves. The stem is herbaceous, on which the leaves are arranged oppositely. The leaf blade is represented by an ovate-heart-shaped or lanceolate form, up to 17 cm long, up to 8 cm wide.


The edges are covered with large teeth. Quite long inflorescences develop on nettles, on which many small greenish flowers are planted; in the place of flowers, seeds appear over time, represented by dry, compressed yellow or brownish nuts. On one copy, up to 22,000 seeds can be formed. It is found in Europe, Asia, China, North America.

Nettle is a plant that is often eaten; soups, borscht, salads are prepared on its basis. Used as feed for livestock. In folk medicine, nettle leaves are used to prepare infusions and decoctions.


Dioecious nettle refers to weed vegetation, therefore, it can grow on any soil, plants are especially common on soils rich in nitrogen. The plant is photophilous, but can also grow well in partial shade and shade.

The genus Laurel belongs to subtropical trees or shrubs. Laurel is an evergreen plant that reaches a height of about 15 m, with brown smooth bark and bare shoots. The crown of the tree is dense, pyramidal in shape. The leaves on the shoots are planted alternately, have a solid edge, bare, simple, can reach a length of 20 cm, a width of 4 cm. The leaves have a pleasant aroma, they are characterized by an oblong lanceolate or elliptical plate, narrowed to the base. The color of the foliage is dark green on the upper part of the leaves, on the lower part it is lighter.


Laurel flowers are collected in inflorescences of umbrellas, located at the end of the branches in several pieces, in deciduous axils. The flowers are rather small, yellowish, eventually turning into fruits of dark blue color. Laurel grows in the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia and the Canary Islands.

Laurel is used as a spice, and an essential oil is prepared from the leaves, which is used in cooking. Bay leaf is also a medicinal raw material for the preparation of various medicinal products.


Laurel will do best in a well-lit area, but can tolerate light partial shade. The plant is not demanding on soils and normally tolerates drought. It is advisable to apply organic and mineral fertilizers to the soil before planting so that the plant develops better.

The genus of sea buckthorn includes two species. Plants are represented by shrubs or trees from 10 cm to 6 m in height, sometimes up to 15 m. The leaves are planted alternately, rather long and narrow, the color of the foliage is green, the surface of the plate is covered with small dots of gray. Sea buckthorn blooms before the leaves bloom, the flowers are small, inconspicuous. In place of the flower, a drupe appears, which consists of a nutlet, and a receptacle. The color of the fruits has a red or orange tint, they are located very densely on the branch. Sea buckthorn grows in Europe, Asia, Mongolia, China.


Sea buckthorn fruits are often used as a food product, they are eaten raw, drinks are prepared, sea buckthorn oil is used in cosmetology and medicine. Certain types of sea buckthorn are ornamental plants, planted to reinforce road slopes or to create hedges. Leaves from the tree are used as tannins.

The place for planting sea buckthorn should be well lit, the tree is not afraid of direct sunlight, prefers light neutral soils, tolerates regular fertilizers well and responds to them with a plentiful harvest.



It blooms in very small buds, up to 3 mm in diameter, greenish-yellow in color, in place of the flower a yellowish or reddish fruit appears, represented by a false berry, with sticky pulp. In nature, there are up to 70 species of mistletoe, which grow mainly in the subtropics and tropics of the African continent, in the tropics of Asia and northern Australia, and almost throughout Europe.

Did you know?Mistletoe was used as a traditional Christmas decoration in England until the second half of the 19th century, at which time the English began to decorate the Christmas tree, which became a symbol of Christmas.

Mistletoe fruits are food for birds. Also suitable for making glue. Traditional medicine contains recipes for an extract from the young leaves of the plant, used for various health problems.


Aspen belongs to the species of deciduous trees of the Poplar genus. The plant is characterized by the presence of a columnar trunk, height - up to 35 m, diameter - 1 m. The tree grows very quickly, but is prone to wood diseases, so the life expectancy is no more than 90 years. The roots go deep underground, growing profusely for several meters. The tree has a smooth greenish or gray bark that cracks with age and changes color to a darker one.


Aspen has a regular leaf arrangement, they are represented by round or rhombic plates, up to 7 cm long, with a sharp or blunt top, the leaf has crenate edges. The flowers are characterized by a small size, they are collected in inflorescences of earrings, they can be reddish or greenish, up to 15 cm long, flowering occurs before bud break. After flowering, a box fruit is formed, the seeds are covered with down (puff), thanks to which they spread for tens of kilometers. Aspen can be found near the forest and tundra, it grows in the forest and forest-steppe. There is a tree in Europe, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, Korea.

Aspen is often popular as an ornamental tree, planted along alleys, in city parks. The bark is used for tanning leather and is a source of yellow and green dye. The tree is considered a good honey plant. Wood is used in the construction of houses, in the form of roofing material. Aspen is also used as a raw material in folk medicine, the bark and leaves are considered medicinal.


Aspen is best planted in well-lit areas, but it can also tolerate light partial shade, is not demanding on soil, and grows well on both poor and nutritious, acidic and alkaline soils. The only requirement for the soil is that it should not be dry, sandy, swampy or frozen. Also, aspen does not tolerate high groundwater, so these features must be taken into account when planting a plant.

Asparagus is a genus of plants that has about 210 species. Can grow as grass and shrubs. The plant has well developed rhizomes, strongly branched stems. There are many needle-shaped branches on the stems. Asparagus has underdeveloped, small leaves, represented by scaly or prickly specimens. The plant blooms in small buds, which are collected in single, thyroid or racemose inflorescences.


The flower has 6 petals arranged in two circles. In place of the flower, a fruit is formed in the form of a berry, which contains one or more seeds. The berries are red or bright orange when ripe. Asparagus can be found in the temperate climates of North America, Europe, Central Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Did you know?Asparagus is a natural aphrodisiac. In ancient Greece, newlyweds wore wreaths of this plant on their heads for the imminent appearance of offspring, and at French wedding feasts, at least three dishes with asparagus were always present on the table of the newlyweds.

Often, asparagus is used as a vegetable that is grown commercially for sale. Especially valuable are the shoots of asparagus officinalis, which grow no more than 20 cm, have an unblown head, in this state it is most useful for eating. Such shoots are boiled, canned, prepared salads and soups. Asparagus shoots are also used in folk medicine, and the essence obtained from the plant is used in the manufacture of homeopathic remedies.


Asparagus is a rather demanding crop, so it is necessary to carefully select a landing site, the area should be well lit, calm, it is better to plant on the south side of the site. The plant prefers to grow on light sandy soils rich in humus.

Poplar belongs to the genus of deciduous actively growing trees, which has 95 species. Tree up to 50 m, sometimes 60 m, with a trunk diameter of more than 1 m, the crown has a spherical shape. There are many cracks on the brown-gray or dark gray bark. Poplar is characterized by a strong root system, which lies on the surface and goes many meters from the trunk. Poplar leaves are planted alternately, the plates are lanceolate or wide oval, with mesh venation.


Flowering begins before bud break, small flowers are located on inflorescences of earrings that hang from the branches. In place of the flower, a box is formed - a fruit that has small seeds with numerous hairs. Seeds oblong or oblong-ovate, black or black-brown. Poplar is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, in the subtropics of China, the boreal zone, in America, Mexico, and East Africa.

Poplar is characterized by the presence of light white wood, which is well processed and used as a raw material in the manufacture of paper. In sparsely forested areas, poplar is used as a building material. The buds of the plant can be a source for purple dye, and the leafy part for yellow dye. Poplar is planted as an ornamental tree, for landscaping alleys in cities, in addition, the tree is an excellent honey plant.


Poplar is not demanding on soils and can grow on any type of soil, prefers sunny areas. It normally tolerates wetlands and high groundwater, but is demanding on air permeability and soil nutrition, so when choosing a site for planting, pay attention to these features.

Pistachio is a genus of evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs, which has 20 species. The plant has a two-tiered root system, the roots go beyond the crown by 30 m and 15 m deep. The tree is characterized by the presence of a thick layer of dark gray bark, on young shoots there is a wax coating. Pistachio leaves are pinnate, have a solid edge, shiny. The flowers are small, collected in yellow, red, dark pink inflorescences, in the place of which drupe fruits appear, suitable for consumption.


The tree is native to Africa, the Mediterranean, Asia and Central America.

Did you know?For the first time, pistachio seedlings were brought to Europe from Syria in 1 tbsp. n. e. Roman emperor Vitellius, the Italians liked the nut so much that they began to actively add pistachio to various dishes.

Due to the fact that the pistachio has a dense and strong wood, it is used in carpentry, resins are also obtained from it to produce varnishes. The leaves contain many tannins used in leather processing. The most popular product of the pistachio tree are pistachio nuts, which are considered valuable and useful product. Nuts are eaten on their own or used to prepare various dishes.


Pistachio can be planted on gray soils, brown soils. The plant is photophilous, drought-resistant, loves soils that contain a lot of calcium. It is better to plant on sandy soil and maintain the acidity at pH 7.

Spinach is a genus of herbaceous plants that has three species. It is one-year-old or two-year-old, grows up to 50 cm in height, it can be naked, simple or branched. The leaves are arranged in pairs, have an oval, oblong shape with a solid edge. The leaves have a smooth or rough structure, small flowers collected in spike-shaped paniculate inflorescences of yellow color, in place of which spherical fruits appear. Spinach grows in Iran, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan as a wild crop, but is also planted everywhere for commercial cultivation.


Spinach is a valuable plant that is eaten and used raw, added to salads, boiled, fried, stewed. It is used in folk medicine, as it has medicinal properties and contributes to the treatment of certain diseases.

Spinach is demanding on the landing site, prefers fertile soil, so it is better to plant it in a site enriched with organic matter. It grows well on loamy soils, it is possible to grow on sandy ones, but with the condition of regular watering.


Sour sorrel is a species of herbaceous plants of the genus Sorrel. The plant has a taproot, very short and branched root, characterized by the presence of a standing stem, it can reach a height of 1 m. The stem is silvery in color, with a purple tint at the base.


The leaves grow from the root, they are long, petiolate, have an arrow-shaped base, a solid edge and a pronounced central vein, the blade reaches a length of 20 cm, the leaves are alternate. The flowers are planted on paniculate inflorescences, have a pink or reddish color. In place of the flowers, trihedral seeds appear, black-brown, smooth, shiny. The plant is common in North America, Asia, Europe, Western Australia.

Sour sorrel is used as a food product, therefore it is cultivated as a vegetable crop. On the basis of sorrel, green cabbage soup, borscht are prepared, the leaves are used for canning. Sorrel is used in folk medicine, leaves and juice can treat various diseases.


It is better to plant sorrel in a well-lit area, preferably in partial shade. Sorrel is not picky about the soil, but still prefers light sandy or loamy soil, grows well on peat soils. Sorrel prefers to grow on breathable soils with low groundwater.

Thus, dioecious plants are common throughout the world and can be represented by grass, shrubs, trees, lianas of various sizes. They are completely different, but one thing unites them - female and male flowers cannot be located together on one specimen. This feature should be taken into account when planting some plants in order to ensure the possibility of pollination and the formation of an ovary.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for your opinion!

Write in the comments what questions you did not receive an answer to, we will definitely respond!

24 times already
helped


Scientists distinguish monoecious plants, dioecious and polyecious. In the first group of representatives of the flora, inflorescences of different sexes are on the same shoot. In dioecious and polyecious plants, they are located on different cuttings remote from each other.

How did monoecious plants originate?

According to the author of the evolutionary theory, Charles Darwin, inflorescences simultaneously with stamens and pistils on the same plant were formed from heterosexual representatives of the flora. Such plants often reproduce by fertilization through the spread of pollen by wind currents. In some cases, pollen is transported between plants by insects.

Monoecious plants are not characterized by processes when fertilization occurs in the same inflorescence. Normally, seed production requires the movement of pollen to a neighboring flower. In this case, one pistil on the shoot can serve as a means for pollination of several adjacent stamens.

Briefly about dioecious plants

Monoecious and dioecious plants reproduce in similar ways. In both cases, fertilization requires the transfer of pollen from the pistils to the stamens. However, unlike monoecious plants, in dioecious plants, male and female inflorescences are on separate individuals of the same species and most often differ in appearance.

Dioecious representatives of the flora reproduce copious amounts of pollen. This is dictated by the fact that female plants may not be nearby. For this reason, there must be enough pollen to be transported by air currents to distant individuals. Dioecious plants have extremely light pollen. She has a special shape that allows her to freely float in the air.

Adaptations of monoecious plants

In the course of evolution, monoecious representatives of the flora have developed the following adaptations to prolong the genus:

  • Heterostyly - morphological differences between stamens and pistils within the same plant. In this case, seeds are able to form only if pollen is transferred from short stamens to a short pistil and, accordingly, from long stamens to a long pistil.
  • Dichogamy - significant differences in the timing of ripening of individual pistils and stamens within the same monoecious hermaphroditic flower.

What group of monoecious plants do you think? What representatives of the flora can be attributed to it? We will talk about this further.

Walnut

So, which plants are monoecious? The brightest representative of the walnut family. This higher plant is pollinated by transporting pollen by wind. Insects, in particular bees, visit exclusively male walnut inflorescences. For this reason, their role in the pollination of such a monoecious plant is extremely insignificant.

On the same shoot of a walnut, female and male inflorescences bloom with a difference of about 15 days. This results in the possibility of cross-pollination.

Hazel

The hazel is also a monoecious plant. Female inflorescences are hidden inside the so-called buds. From the latter, crimson-colored stigmas protrude. And male flowers are in hanging earrings.

Hazel inflorescences are fertilized due to the spread of pollen by the wind. The result is the formation of a single-seeded nut from the female inflorescences, which has a yellowish-brown hue. The ripening fruit is surrounded by modified bracts.

Oak

What other monoecious plants are widespread in domestic latitudes? Among these, it is worth noting the oak. The crowns of these trees contain both female and male flowers. The stamens here look like small inflorescences of a greenish hue, in the upper part of which there is a crimson edging. Oak has much fewer inflorescences with pistils. They are concentrated in compact bundles of a pale pink color.

Sedge

Oddly enough, this squat herbaceous plant also belongs to the monoecious group. At the moment, scientists have identified about two thousand species of sedge. The plant prefers to grow in extremely moist substrates. For this reason, sedge is most often found in wetlands.

One sedge shoot contains female and male inflorescences. Individual specimens have up to 5 pistils and stamens. Inflorescences have the form of a pedicel or spikelet. The female flower contains a pistil on a long column with several stigmas. The male flower usually contains three stamens with linear anthers and freely hanging filaments.

There is a whole mass of individual varieties of sedges. Such plants are extremely unpretentious to growing conditions. Therefore, they are often used as decoration of artificial reservoirs.

Finally

Monoeciousness is an efficient way for higher plants to cross-pollinate in order to reproduce. In this case, one individual may contain inflorescences of both sexes. In other words, a single shoot has both stamens and pistils, which is an extremely convenient solution for the survival of the species.

All plants, without exception, known to science are classified into three groups - single, double and multiple. In the former, heterosexual inflorescences are located on the same plant, in the latter, on different ones. At the same time, the flowers themselves can be either bisexual - with pistils and stamens, or dioecious, which have either a pistil or a stamen. Polyecious plants provide for the presence of two varieties of inflorescences on one plant. The so-called polygamy is observed in horse chestnut, grapes, forget-me-nots, ash.

Picture 1.

Characteristics of monoecious plants

Remark 1

Many scientists believe that unisexual flowers arose from bisexual ones, but this happened as a result of evolutionary processes. Monoecious plants are characterized by the presence of pistillate or staminate inflorescences on one individual. Flowers of both sexes are "in the same house" - hence their name. The flowers of some plants do not have a formed perianth. Plants of this type are predominantly wind-pollinated, but there are times when they are pollinated by insects - this process is called entomophily. Plants can self-pollinate, this is when pollination takes place in the bowl of one flower. Most often, pollen enters the bosom from other inflorescences located on the same plant. And it has a bad effect on the properties of seeds. Monoecious plants are very common. For example, corn, alder, watermelon, beech, pumpkin, walnut, hazel, birch and oak. In addition, there are species that reorganize from dioecious to monoecious under stressful conditions - for example, such a plant as hemp.

Walnut is one of the brightest representatives of monoecious wind-pollinated plants. Bees visit only male flowers, and ignore female flowers, for this reason their importance in pollination is negligible. The difference in the blooming of male and female flowers on the same plant reaches $15$ per day. As a result, cross-pollination occurs.

Hazel is a monoecious plant. Male flowers in sagging catkins, female flowers are hidden inside the buds, only raspberry stigmas protrude. Pollinated by the wind. The fruit of the hazel is a brown-yellow one-seeded nut, surrounded by a bell-shaped cupule of modified bracts. Hazel shrubs is a versatile monoecious plant.

Characteristics of dioecious plants

In dioecious plants, female and male flowers grow on different plants of the same species, so they may differ in appearance. It's like a rooster and a hen. For the process of fertilization, cross-pollination is necessary, that is, the transfer of pollen from the anthers of male flowers to the stigmas of female ones. In this they are helped by insects to attract, which plants of this species have large and colorful flowers. Such pollination is considered more perfect, as it helps to strengthen the species. Most fruit trees require both sexes. One male flower serves to pollinate several female flowers. And only after that, fruits can form on female flowers. But it is not necessary to have one plant of the opposite sex for each female plant, one male can pollinate a number of females. The number of which depends on the type of green spaces. For example, a whole grove of date palms is fertilized by several male trees. One is enough to pollinate about $40-$50 palm trees. Sometimes, for better and more successful pollination, a branch of a male tree is grafted onto female trees.

Remark 2

For practical purposes, it is important not only to know which plants are dioecious, but it is also necessary to be able to distinguish between the sexes of individuals of the same species. In representatives of one species, sex is initially difficult to determine. If we consider the structure of the male and female flower, we note that the male flower has an underdeveloped or completely absent stigma, but its stamens are dotted with pollen. In turn, the female flower is devoid of stamens, or if there is a stamen, then there is very little pollen on it. This knowledge is important for gardeners. For example, if there is a tree in the garden that does not bear fruit, then it is probably dioecious, and it is necessary to determine its sex, and plant a tree with the opposite sex on the site. Or graft a branch to it from another individual of this species. Well, if it is necessary to decorate an ornamental garden or a personal plot, we choose a dioecious tree of the same sex, so that overripe fruits do not spoil the aesthetics, and it would not be necessary to constantly clean the site.

Dioecious male plants produce large amounts of pollen because the female tree may not be around. Therefore, there should be a lot of pollen, that some percentage flew to the stamens of a far-growing female. The pollen is very light and shaped to float in the air.

Consider a dioecious plant using the example of a fig. Fig flowers are small and inconspicuous. Only female plants bear fruit. Figs are pollinated only by blastophage wasps. In order for the female of such a wasp to be fertilized, she is looking for male fig flowers, since her wingless prince sits there. Fertilizing, inside the flower on her belly, she collects the pollen of the male flower. Having fertilized, it gets out in search of a new flower, and thus transfers pollen to the stamens of female flowers.

Among dioecious plants, forms are known in which it is impossible to determine the difference between the sex chromosomes. For example, hemp. It is capable of turning from a dioecious plant into a monoecious one in extreme situations, it is also bred by breeders as a monoecious plant. In some dioecious flowering plants, forms with intermediate male and female individuals have been observed. Thus, the mechanism of sex determination is currently unclear.

Cannabis that bears male flowers is called a cannabis plant. Women's cannabis is called mother. Materka is more thick-stemmed, leafy and tall. Materka ripens later. Poskoni dry quickly, almost immediately after flowering. For sowing hemp, female and male individuals are taken in a ratio of $ 1: 1 $. But despite this, the yield is different. Materka reproduces a third of the total fiber yield.

Remark 3

Dioecious plants have specific sex chromosomes similar to animals. For the first time in $1917$, Allen identified sex chromosomes in a liver moss plant. It is known that moss plants are always haploid, while the sporangium and its stem are diploid. Allen discovered that the male moss plant has $7$ regular chromosomes and one small Y chromosome. The female plant has 7 Y chromosomes and one very long X chromosome.

During fertilization, these two sets of chromosomes unite, forming a sporophyte with a set of $14A+X-b Y.$ At the stage of meiosis, seven pairs of autosomes and one pair of $X Y$ are formed. It follows that half of the disputes will receive $7A+X$ and the other half $7A+ Y$. From these disputes directly develop female and male of this species.

To date, breeders have the power to shift the sex of plants. It is quite possible to change the number of female flowers in cucumber, spinach, by treating plants on the eve of flowering with carbon monoxide, ethylene or other reducing agents. Under the influence of the conditions of mineral nutrition, photoperiodicity and temperature conditions, the ratio between the number of male and female generative organs (flower) is significantly shifted.

All plants known to science are divided into three groups - monoecious, dioecious and polyecious. In the former, heterosexual inflorescences are on the same individual, in the latter, on different ones. At the same time, the flowers themselves can be either bisexual - with pistils and stamens, or dioecious, which have either a pistil or a stamen. Polygonal plants provide for the presence of two varieties of inflorescences on one individual. The so-called polygamy is observed in ash, grapes, forget-me-nots. But it's not about them now. This article describes which plants are monoecious and provides a brief description of their brightest representatives.

Monoecious plants: characteristics

Many scientists believe that unisexual flowers were formed from bisexual ones, and this happened due to evolutionary processes. Speaking about monoecious plants, it is necessary to emphasize that they are characterized by the presence of pistillate or staminate inflorescences on one specimen. Representatives of both sexes are "in the same house" - hence the name of these green spaces.

Plants of this type are most often wind-pollinated. There are cases when pollen is carried by insects - this process is called entomophily. Plants are not inherent in autogamy, when pollination occurs in the bowl of one flower. Most often, pollen enters the bosom here from other inflorescences located on the same plant. And this directly affects the properties of seeds.

At every step there are monoecious plants. Examples of such green spaces are: watermelon, corn, pumpkin, walnut, hazel, alder, beech, birch and oak. There are also species that, under extreme conditions, can transform from dioecious to monoecious - these include, for example, hemp.

Walnut

One of the brightest representatives of monoecious plants. It is rich in vitamins, alkaloids, carotene, essential oils, iron salts and other beneficial substances. Walnut improves memory, helps to get rid of constipation, is indispensable for heart disease and diabetes, prevents the appearance of breast and prostate cancer.

It starts blooming in May. Useful fruits of the tree can be enjoyed already in September. Inflorescences are collected in small groups - from two to five pieces. Due to the fact that male and female flowers do not ripen at the same time, cross-pollination occurs between them. Walnut fruits can also be tied without pollination, but then their properties will be of very poor quality.

Oak

Monoecious plants are also trees of the beech family. Oak is a typical representative of them. It has long been considered the personification of wisdom, durability, beauty and strength. The bark, leaves, acorns of the plant have similar qualities. They are very strong, enduring winter frosts and summer heat, poor climatic conditions and sudden changes in weather. The height of the oak is no more than 30 meters, although real giants are often found in nature. Few people know that oak begins to bear fruit only after thirty years from the date of planting.

Both female and male flowers are located on the oak, so these trees are monoecious plants. Staminate individuals are usually collected in small inflorescences, have a greenish color. Their top is decorated with a crimson edging. There are fewer male flowers - they are located "in one bunch" of three and have a pleasant pale pink color. Much is known about the medicinal properties of oak. For the production of healing drugs, everything is used - bark, acorns, leaves, which have wound healing, astringent, anti-inflammatory properties. Oaks grow well in any climatic conditions: both in wet swamps (virgin species) and in dry areas.

Birch

Monoecious plants include not only walnut and oak, but also birch. The components of the tree are often used in traditional medicine. For example, tincture from the kidneys is actively used by healers to eliminate various diseases. And the birch mushroom restores strength well. It effectively neutralizes headaches, increases appetite. And everyone's favorite perfectly cleanses the body, fights against the formation and growth of internal tumors.

Birch can reach a height of up to twenty-five meters. It is slightly inferior to the beech family in terms of the number of genera and species. And it's significant. There are only 150 varieties of the birch "clan", in beech this figure is much higher - 800 species. Almost all representatives are resistant to frost, only Japanese, Chinese and Himalayan individuals do not belong to them.

Hazel

Walnut, oak, birch - these are not all green spaces that are included in a group called "monoecious plants". Examples are endless. Hazel also belongs to this category - a long-lived shrub, which, on average, can please mankind with tasty and healthy nuts for about eighty years.

(staminate) are located in the catkins of the plant, but the female (pistil) are in the flower buds. Hazel shrubs are universal monoecious plants. Fruits, bark, leaves and even roots - all this is actively used in medicine. Varicose veins, constipation, lack of milk in lactating women, rickets, anemia, hypertension - decoctions, tinctures, ointments and other remedies made from hazel components can easily cope with all these problems.

Sedge

Listing monoecious plants, I would like to dwell on this herbaceous specimen. Today, more than two thousand of its species are known. Sedge loves moisture very much, so it can most often be found in swamps. It can also grow right in the water. A prerequisite for its normal existence is the presence of light. However, the plant can easily adapt to a semi-dark area.

Inflorescences are unisexual: male and female specimens have from 2 to 5 stamens and pistils. Sedge leaves reach one meter in height. They are tightly grouped, so they look more like bumps that can easily support the weight of a person. They are very dense with hard edges, so it is not recommended for a person to tear them with bare hands: you can cut yourself badly. Recently, the plant has been increasingly used for decorative purposes - especially in areas where there are artificial reservoirs. Small lakes and ponds are decorated with sedge. Also, the plant is often used as feed, less often used in pharmacology.

What else to read