Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Introduction to Plant Diversity02:22

Introduction to Plant Diversity

From Water to Land
Asexual Reproduction02:38

Asexual Reproduction

Asexual reproduction allows plants to reproduce without growing flowers, attracting pollinators, or dispersing seeds. Offspring are genetically identical to the parent and produced without the fusion of male and female gametes.
Introduction to Seed Plants03:40

Introduction to Seed Plants

Most plants are seed plants—characterized by seeds, pollen, and reduced gametophytes. Seed plants include gymnosperms and angiosperms.
Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers01:17

Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers

A species is a group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Typically, individuals of the same species appear similar and share common characteristics due to their highly similar genomes. However, not all organisms that look alike are members of the same species. Various mechanisms keep most species discrete. While some mechanisms prevent reproductive behavior and fertilization (pre-zygotic isolation), others prevent the production of fertile offspring after mating has...
Dihybrid Crosses01:18

Dihybrid Crosses

Overview
The Angiosperm Life Cycle02:39

The Angiosperm Life Cycle

Plants have a life cycle split between two multicellular stages: a haploid stage—with cells containing one set of chromosomes—and a diploid stage—with cells containing two sets of chromosomes. The haploid stage is the gamete-producing gametophyte, and the diploid stage is the spore-producing sporophyte.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cis-regulation of gene expression between sexes and life stages in Rumex hastatulus.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026
Same author

Proceedings B 2025: the year in review.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

Genomic architecture and evolution of heterostyly: new insights from Cordia subcordata (Boraginaceae).

Molecular biology and evolution·2025
Same author

The Roles of Life History and Mating System in Speciation: Genomic Evidence From the Incarvillea sinensis Complex.

Molecular ecology·2025
Same author

Ginger genome reveals the SMPED1 gene causing sex-phase synchrony and outcrossing in a flowering plant.

Nature plants·2025
Same author

Genetic architecture of the S-locus supergene revealed in a tetraploid distylous species.

The New phytologist·2025
Same journal

The microlandscapes of tree trunks: the effect of lichen and tree-level characteristics on arthropod communities.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same journal

Centimetre-scale landscapes to assess the motion behaviour and cognition of gastropods and bivalves.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same journal

Intertidal microcosms of wave-swept rocky shores: ecological and physiological insights from a uniquely stressful environment.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same journal

Temporal and spatial variation in temperature and oxygen at the microscale: key niche axes for aquatic life.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same journal

Natural microcosms in ecology: fulfilling the promise of model systems?

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
Same journal

Microbe-induced galls and plant defence: metabolite crosstalk in a co-evolutionary battle.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Laser-assisted Microdissection (LAM) as a Tool for Transcriptional Profiling of Individual Cell Types
09:31

Laser-assisted Microdissection (LAM) as a Tool for Transcriptional Profiling of Individual Cell Types

Published on: May 10, 2016

Understanding plant reproductive diversity.

Spencer C H Barrett1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. spencer.barrett@utoronto.ca

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|December 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Flowering plant reproduction shows remarkable diversity, with species evolving from outcrossing to self-fertilization, developing separate sexes, and shifting pollination methods. Understanding these evolutionary transitions reveals insights into plant mating systems and diversity.

More Related Videos

An Efficient Method for Quantitative, Single-cell Analysis of Chromatin Modification and Nuclear Architecture in Whole-mount Ovules in Arabidopsis
09:33

An Efficient Method for Quantitative, Single-cell Analysis of Chromatin Modification and Nuclear Architecture in Whole-mount Ovules in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 19, 2014

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species
11:56

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species

Published on: April 17, 2009

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Laser-assisted Microdissection (LAM) as a Tool for Transcriptional Profiling of Individual Cell Types
09:31

Laser-assisted Microdissection (LAM) as a Tool for Transcriptional Profiling of Individual Cell Types

Published on: May 10, 2016

An Efficient Method for Quantitative, Single-cell Analysis of Chromatin Modification and Nuclear Architecture in Whole-mount Ovules in Arabidopsis
09:33

An Efficient Method for Quantitative, Single-cell Analysis of Chromatin Modification and Nuclear Architecture in Whole-mount Ovules in Arabidopsis

Published on: June 19, 2014

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species
11:56

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species

Published on: April 17, 2009

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Plant Reproductive Biology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Flowering plants exhibit extensive diversity in floral traits and reproductive strategies, crucial for mating and outbreeding.
  • Related species often diverge in pollination and mating systems, with significant intraspecific variation in sexual traits observed, particularly in herbaceous plants.
  • This variation offers a valuable framework for evolutionary biologists to connect micro-evolutionary dynamics with macro-evolutionary patterns within plant lineages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide personal reflections on recent advancements in understanding the ecology and evolution of plant reproductive diversity.
  • To review major evolutionary transitions in flowering plant reproduction: outcrossing to self-fertilization, hermaphroditism to separate sexes, and animal to wind pollination.
  • To identify current knowledge and remaining challenges for each evolutionary transition and discuss future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Historical review of major developments in the field of plant reproductive biology.
  • Focus on three key evolutionary transitions: self-fertilization, separate sexes, and wind pollination.
  • Analysis of discoveries and unresolved questions for each transition, incorporating new research approaches.

Main Results:

  • Significant progress has been made in understanding the ecological and evolutionary pathways of major reproductive transitions in flowering plants.
  • Key transitions include the evolution of self-fertilization, the development of unisexual flowers from hermaphroditism, and the shift from biotic to abiotic pollination.
  • While much has been learned, numerous questions persist regarding the genetic, ecological, and evolutionary mechanisms driving these transformations.

Conclusions:

  • The study of plant reproductive diversity provides critical insights into evolutionary processes and patterns.
  • Understanding the ecology and evolution of plant mating systems is essential for comprehending floral diversity.
  • Future research, leveraging novel approaches, will continue to illuminate the complexities of plant reproductive biology and evolution.