Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Non-radioactive in situ Hybridization Protocol Applicable for Norway Spruce and a Range of Plant Species
Published on: April 17, 2009
Sexual asymmetry in hermaphroditic plants
1Michael Ross is at the Dept of Forest Genetics, University of Gottingen, Büsgenweg 2, 3400 Göttingen, FRG.
Abstract:
Populations of hermaphroditic plants show variation in ovule and pollen production, so that the implicit assumption that hermaphrodite individuals function half as male and half as female is not valid. Such variation in gamete production results in sexual asymmetry, defined as nonconstant ratios of pollen to ovule production among plants of a population. This article reviews (1) some of the considerable amount of recent evidence for sexual asymmetry and non-equal malelfemale sex functioning in hermaphroditic seed plants, and (2) some models of asymmetry and sex functioning, with emphasis on their biological and evolutionary relevance.
Related Concept Videos
Asexual Reproduction
Introduction to Plant Diversity
Seedless Vascular Plants
Frequency-dependent Selection
Introduction to Seed Plants
Pollination and Flower Structure

