Definition

Noun: 1. A type of asexual reproduction in plants where seeds are produced without fertilization. This process bypasses the normal sexual fusion of gametes, resulting in offspring that are genetically identical to the mother plant.

Usage

• Apomixis is a biological term used primarily in botany and plant science.
• It describes a specific reproductive mechanism. The word is typically used in technical, academic, or scientific contexts.

Examples

• The dandelion commonly reproduces through apomixis, creating clones of itself.
• Scientists are studying apomixis to understand how to propagate hybrid crops without losing their desirable genetic traits.
• In some grasses, apomixis ensures rapid colonization of an area.

Advanced Usage

• Facultative apomixis: A condition where a plant can reproduce either sexually or through apomixis, depending on environmental conditions.
• Obligate apomixis: When a plant species reproduces exclusively through apomixis and does not undergo sexual reproduction.

Variants and Related Words

• Apomict (noun): A plant that reproduces by apomixis.
  • The hawkweed is an obligate apomict.
• Apomictic (adjective): Relating to or characterized by apomixis.
  • The apomictic reproduction of that species guarantees genetic uniformity.

Synonyms

• Agamospermy (a more specific term for seed production without fertilization, a form of apomixis).
• Asexual reproduction (a broader category that includes apomixis as well as other methods like vegetative propagation).

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of apomixis is strictly biological and refers to asexual seed formation. It is not used metaphorically in everyday language.
• It is distinct from other forms of asexual plant reproduction (like runners or tubers) because it specifically involves the formation of a without fertilization.

Noun

1. any of several kinds of reproduction without fertilization