Plants can be Dioecious

Some plant species are more like animals and each plant is either a male or a female. Plants with this situation are called dioecious. As with monoecious plants, flowers produced will have stamens but no pistils or pistils but no stamens. These male or female specific flowers, however, are made on separate plants, not on separate parts of the same plant.

**Buffalo Grass male plant with staminate (anthers only) flowers.** *Image by Don Lee*

**Cottonwood female tree has pistilate flowers (no anthers) that produce seeds connected to a cottony, fuzzy, sail.** *Image by Don Lee*

Quiz

Question

If a plant species is dieocious, what best describes how it will produce seed?

A. The plant will only self pollinate.

Incorrect: Dieocious plants have flowers that are only male or only female. Gametes from both genders are needed for sexual reproduction so a cross pollination is necessary.

B. The plant will only cross pollinate.

Correct: Dieocious plants have flowers that are only male or only female. Gametes from both genders are needed for sexual reproduction so a cross pollination is necessary.

C. The plant will both cross and self pollinate.

Incorrect: Dieocious plants have flowers that are only male or only female. Gametes from both genders are needed for sexual reproduction so a cross pollination is necessary.

D. None of the above.

Incorrect: Dieocious plants have flowers that are only male or only female. Gametes from both genders are needed for sexual reproduction so a cross pollination is necessary.

Looks Good! Correct: Dieocious plants have flowers that are only male or only female. Gametes from both genders are needed for sexual reproduction so a cross pollination is necessary.

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