Systematic review of plant sex terms?

AI Thread Summary
A systematic review of the terminology related to the sex structures of plant populations is challenging to find, as the terminology can vary significantly across different plant groups and may be in a state of transition. The discussion highlights that a plant can exhibit multiple sexual forms, with a single individual potentially displaying one of seven sexes, while populations can encompass up to 125 distinct sex structures. The complexity arises from the presence of middle sexes, which can lead to numerous variations in sexual combinations. To explore this terminology comprehensively, sources such as advanced botany textbooks, specialized monographs, or annual review articles on plant reproductive morphology are recommended. These resources may provide clarity on the various terms used and their meanings, addressing the need for a consolidated reference on the subject.
snorkack
Messages
2,388
Reaction score
536
Where could you find a systematic review of terms specifying the possible sex structures of plant populations?
This
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_reproductive_morphology
has a list of 30 terms, arranged by alphabet not meaning, containing many synonyms...

It seems to me that a plant having in general several flowers and being as per premise sexually active can be in any of 7 sexes. And a plant population which successfully practices sexual reproduction can have 125 sex structures. So where could it be checked which of these have several names, which a single name and which no name? Which of the 125 are common, which rare but do occur, are there any that are completely absent?
The possible sexes of a plant individual having generally several flowers are:
1) Female - several or one female flowers and no male or middle sex flowers
2) Male - several or one male flowers and no female or middle sex flowers
and then 5 distinct middle sexes:
3) Female and male flowers but no middle sex flowers
4) Female, male and middle sex flowers
5) Female and middle sex flowers but no male flowers
6) Male and middle sex flowers but no female flowers
7) Several or one middle sex flowers but no female or male flowers.
The sex structures for a population that might have a middle sex and per premise successfully sexually reproducing have 5 options
1) No middle sex - only females and males
2) All three sexes
3) Females and middle sex individuals but no males
4) Males and middle sex individuals but no females
5) Only middle sex individuals, no females or males.

But when there are 5 distinct middle sexes, each of the 4 options including a middle sex consists of 31 variants depending on which middle sexes are present or absent. Which makes a grand total of 1+4*31=125, as stated above
So what could be good sources to check terminology of these structures?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
This sounds to me like a something that could be difficult to find a single source covering all you describe.
Different terms used in different groups of plants for the same thing would not be surprising.
The terminology may be in a transition state now, making it more difficult.
Taxonomy has similar problems. The smaller your set of conditions, the more likely you will find a single satisfactory reference.

snorkack said:
So what could be good sources to check terminology of these structures?
An advanced botany text book, a monograph on the subject, maybe an annual review article on the subject.
 
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/body-dysmorphia/ Most people have some mild apprehension about their body, such as one thinks their nose is too big, hair too straight or curvy. At the extreme, cases such as this, are difficult to completely understand. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/why-would-someone-want-to-amputate-healthy-limbs/ar-AA1MrQK7?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=68ce4014b1fe4953b0b4bd22ef471ab9&ei=78 they feel like they're an amputee in the body of a regular person "For...
Thread 'Did they discover another descendant of homo erectus?'
The study provides critical new insights into the African Humid Period, a time between 14,500 and 5,000 years ago when the Sahara desert was a green savanna, rich in water bodies that facilitated human habitation and the spread of pastoralism. Later aridification turned this region into the world's largest desert. Due to the extreme aridity of the region today, DNA preservation is poor, making this pioneering ancient DNA study all the more significant. Genomic analyses reveal that the...
Back
Top