Autogamy

/ɔːˈtɑːɡəmi/ noun

Definition

In botany, self-fertilization; the fertilization of a flower or plant by its own pollen without pollination from another plant of the same species.

Etymology

From Greek auto- 'self' + gamos 'marriage.' The term was coined in the 19th century as botanists systematically classified different reproduction strategies.

Kelly Says

Autogamy is the plant world's version of the ultimate independence—no need for a pollinator, no genetic mixing with neighbors, just pure botanical self-reliance. It explains why some crops are almost clones of themselves generation after generation.

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