Although the name may not sound like much to the less expert in botany, monoecious plants are very common throughout the planet, as they are one of the most numerous groups in the plant world. This term, along with other similar ones such as monoclines, diclines or dioecious ones, is used when we talk about the reproduction of plants.
Do you want to learn more about what a monoecious plant is? If so, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we explain what are monoecious plants, their characteristics and examples of some representative species of this large group.
What are monoecious plants
We will start by explaining what is a monoecious plant. When the sexual organs of both sexes coexist on a single floor, the plant is said to be monoecious. This word comes from the Greek and is composed of mono, which means one, and oikos, which means house. Its meaning, thus, is quite intuitive: when both sexes inhabit a single individual.
Plants, unlike most animals, tend to present both sexes in the same individual, either with perfect flowers, which contain the sexual organs of both sexes, or producing flowers of each of the sexes separately in the same plant.
About 75% of the world's plants are monoecious plants, in one of its different varieties.
Characteristics of monoecious plants
These are the main characteristics of monoecious plants:
- As we have just seen, the essential characteristic of a monoecious plant is that in a single specimen we can find both sex organs. When we talk about the classification of plants based on their reproduction and presence of sexual organs, several terms can be differentiated. On the one hand, there are the monoecious, which we have just defined, and, on the other hand, there are the dioecious plants, which are those plants that only have organs of a single sex in each individual.
- If we stick to the flowers of monoecious plants, they are divided into monoclines and diclines. The former are those bisexual flowers that present the organs of both sexes in the same flower, while the diclines are flowers of a single sex. Both terms can be combined. Thus, when we speak of a monoecious dicline plant, it is one whose flowers have the organs of a single sex, but which produces both female and male flowers in the same individual. This particular condition is very common, since it allows the plant to reproduce both in a biparental way, pollinating other plants, and to pollinate itself. It is thus a way of ensuring the survival of the species without giving up the possibilities of genetic variety.
- These types of plants tend to show their male flowers at the highest end of them to facilitate the propagation of pollen through the elements, while their female flowers they tend to be lower.
- Some monoecious plants have developed strategies or methods to avoid self-fertilization and thus further favor their genetic diversity.
Learn more about Plant Reproduction with this other Green Ecologist article.
Hermaphroditic plants
Hermaphroditic plants are nothing other than monoecious monocline flowering plants, that is to say, those that present flowers with the organs of both sexes in them. Monocline flowers are also commonly called perfect flowers and they are very popular in areas such as agriculture, due to the facilities they provide when reproducing them, as they do not depend on pollinating insects.
Find out more about Hermaphrodite Plants: what they are, characteristics and examples with this other post by Green Ecologist.
Examples of monoecious plants
¿What are monoecious plants best known? With these examples of monoecious plants, you will quickly see that many of them are more common than you might think.
Corn
Scientific name Zea maysThis cereal from the Poaceae family has been domesticated by humans for around 10,000 years. Corn is the most widely produced cereal in the world, ahead of other staple foods such as wheat and rice.
The well-known ears are nothing other than the female inflorescences, which are located on the sides of the plant. The male inflorescences, on the other hand, called spikes or panicles, are located at the highest ends of the plant.
Coconut tree
Its scientific name is Cocos nucifera, and with it we refer to a palm tree of the Arecaceae family, specifically the one that produces the fruits so well known and appreciated in many countries of the world: coconuts.
It is a plant typical of the beaches of tropical climates, originating in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, although it is currently cultivated in more places. Its inflorescences group both male and female flowers.
The seeds of coconut trees are exceptionally hardy, and can sometimes reach very distant shores washed away by the tide and eventually germinate.
Almond
Scientific denomination Prunus dulcisThis small tree, rarely exceeding five meters in height, is another monoecious plant. The almond tree has its origin in Asia, and in addition to its fruit, the almond, it is very popular for its beautiful flowers with five petals, beautiful white or pink.
It is a warm climate tree that can withstand occasional dry spells quite well and its fruit, the almond, is especially rich in vitamin E and a great antioxidant.
Other examples of monoecious plants
- Orón or roast (Acer opalus).
- Short, short or holm oak (Quercus ilex).
- Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus).
If you want to read more articles similar to Monoecious plants: what are they, characteristics and examples, we recommend that you enter our Biology category.
