[Sex differentiation in plants. Terms and notions]

Area of Science:

• Plant reproductive biology
• Evolutionary botany
• Floral morphology

Context:

• Current research on plant sex determination utilizes both descriptive-morphological and quantitative methodologies.
• Existing terminology for plant reproductive structures and population types is varied and sometimes ambiguous.

Purpose:

• To critically evaluate existing methods for studying plant sex.
• To propose a standardized and integrated terminology for plant reproductive biology.
• To highlight the need for further development of quantitative approaches in plant sex research.

Summary:

• Two main approaches to studying plant sex exist: descriptive-morphological and quantitative.
• Classification of flower types (staminate, pistillate, complete) and population distributions (monomorphic, heteromorphic) is presented.
• Recommendations are made to discontinue certain terms and adopt standardized nomenclature, including 'gender', 'phenotypic gender', and 'functional gender'.

Impact:

• Standardized terminology will improve clarity and consistency in plant sex research.
• Refined classifications will aid in understanding plant reproductive evolution.
• The quantitative approach, though nascent, promises deeper insights into plant mating systems.