Mating systemA mating system is a way in which a group is structured in relation to sexual behaviour. The precise meaning depends upon the context. With respect to animals, the term describes which males and females mate under which circumstances.
Impatiens capensisImpatiens capensis, the orange jewelweed, common jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not, or orange balsam, is an annual plant in the family Balsaminaceae that is native to North America. It is common in bottomland soils, ditches, and along creeks, often growing side by side with its less common relative, yellow jewelweed (I. pallida). DescriptionJewelweed is a herbaceous plant that grows 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) tall. It often branches extensively.
CleistogamyCleistogamy is a type of automatic self-pollination of certain plants that can propagate by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers. Especially well known in peanuts, peas, and pansies, this behavior is most widespread in the grass family. However, the largest genus of cleistogamous plants is Viola. Cleistogamy is promoted in the tomato plant by a modification of floral structures. This modification includes formation of a stigma enclosing floral structure.OutcrossingOut-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity. Outcrossing in animalsOutcrossing can be a useful technique in animal breeding. The outcrossing breeder intends to remove the traits by using "new blood."
Seed plantA seed plant or spermatophyte (from Ancient Greek (spérma)'seed' and (phutón)'plant'; lit.'seed plant'), also called a phanerogam (taxon Phanerogamae) or a phaenogam (taxon Phaenogamae), is any plant that produces seeds. It is a category of embryophyte (i.e. land plant) that includes most of the familiar land plants, including the flowering plants and the gymnosperms, but not ferns, mosses, or algae.
MatingIn biology, mating refers to the pairing of either opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for the purpose of sexual reproduction. For most species, mating is between two individuals of opposite sexes; however, for hermaphroditic species, copulation is not required because the parent organism is capable of self-fertilization (autogamy). The basis of this is a process called fertilization, which is the fusion of two gametes.
HermaphroditeA hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic. Plant species in which individuals are either male or female are dioecious. The individuals of many taxonomic groups of animals, primarily invertebrates, are hermaphrodites, capable of producing viable gametes of both sexes.
ApomixisIn botany, apomixis is asexual development of seed or embryo without fertilization. Apomictically produced offspring are genetically identical to the parent plant, except in nonrecurrent apomixis. Its etymology is Greek for ἀπο- (apo-) "away from" and μίξις (míxis) "mixing". Normal asexual reproduction of plants, such as propagation from cuttings or leaves, has never been considered to be apomixis.
HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically or physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat non-vascularautotrophs such as mosses, algae and lichens, but do not include those feeding on decomposedplant matters (i.e. detritivores) or macrofungi (i.e. fungivores).
ParasitismType of interaction between speciesA fish parasite, the isopod Cymothoa exigua, replacing the tongue of a LithognathusParasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life.
AutogamyAutogamy or self-fertilization refers to the fusion of two gametes that come from one individual. Autogamy is predominantly observed in the form of self-pollination, a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants. However, species of protists have also been observed using autogamy as a means of reproduction. Flowering plants engage in autogamy regularly, while the protists that engage in autogamy only do so in stressful environments.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.