HOMOSTYLOUS Meaning and
Definition
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Homostylous is an adjective that describes a characteristic of certain plants where all the flowers in a population have the same style length relative to their stamen length. In other words, homostylous plants exhibit uniformity in the length of their pistils compared to their stamens. The style is the elongated part of a flower's pistil that connects the stigma to the ovary, while the stamen is the male reproductive organ that produces pollen.
In homostylous plants, the length of the style is consistent within a species or population, regardless of individual variation in flower size or coloration. This characteristic is important for successful pollination, as it ensures that the stigma, where pollen lands, is adequately positioned to receive pollen from visiting pollinators or from self-pollination within the same flower.
This trait is commonly observed in plants that rely on cross-pollination, where pollen is transferred between different flowers, or between different individuals of the same species. By having flowers with uniformly positioned stigmas and stamens, homostylous plants increase the likelihood of successful pollen transfer, which enhances genetic diversity within the population.
Homostyly is an evolutionary adaptation that has evolved in various plant families, such as Primulaceae and Rubiaceae. The term "homostylous" is derived from the Greek words "homo" meaning "same" and "style" referring to the elongated part of the pistil, highlighting the consistent style length in homostylous plants.
Common Misspellings for HOMOSTYLOUS
- gomostylous
- bomostylous
- nomostylous
- jomostylous
- uomostylous
- yomostylous
- himostylous
- hkmostylous
- hlmostylous
- hpmostylous
- h0mostylous
- h9mostylous
- honostylous
- hokostylous
- hojostylous
- homistylous
- homkstylous
- homlstylous
- hompstylous
- hom0stylous
Etymology of HOMOSTYLOUS
The word "homostylous" is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "homo" meaning "same" or "similar", and "style" referring to a narrow, elongated part of a flower's pistil. In botany, a plant is considered homostylous if it has flowers with pistils that have the same length and position relative to the stamens. The term "homostylous" was coined in the mid-19th century to describe such plants.
Similar spelling words for HOMOSTYLOUS
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