{"id":21731,"date":"2022-10-31T17:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/?p=2195"},"modified":"2022-10-31T17:52:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:52:08","slug":"what-is-a-dioecious-plant","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/what-is-a-dioecious-plant\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a dioecious plant?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Ben Hoare\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 31 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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While most flora have both male and female organs on the same plant, dioecious plants\u00a0have either male or female individuals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have just 20 or so species like this in Britain, plus the willows and docks,\u201d says botanist Trevor Dines of Plantlife. \u201cCoincidentally, they include the three we associate with Christmas \u2013 holly<\/a>, ivy and mistletoe<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other dioecious species are red and white campion, dog\u2019s mercury, stinging nettle, yew<\/a><\/strong> and juniper. Ash trees are often polygamo-dioecious \u2013 that is, there are a few male flowers on otherwise female trees, and vice versa; sometimes their branches are either all-male or all-female.<\/p>\n

Dioecy is important to the conservation of juniper. \u201cMany relict juniper populations in northern England and on islands are single plants, so as lone males or females they are doomed,\u201d says Trevor. \u201cPlantlife is introducing specimens from the other sex to help them start setting seed again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Dioecious plant examples<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Dog\u2019s mercury<\/strong><\/p>\n

Forms carpets in shady ancient woodland; flowers February\u2013April. Flowers on male plants resemble yellow catkins, and on female plants develop into paired fleshy fruits. But spreads mostly by rhizomes, creating single-sex patches on woodland floors.<\/p>\n

Red campion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Abundant plant of woodland, hedgerows and verges, with\u00a0a long April\u2013August flowering period. Female flower has five tall white styles (the structures that bear the stigmas) at the centre; the male flower has a cluster\u00a0of 10 yellowish stamens.<\/p>\n

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