self-fertilization en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English fertilization English self-fertilization From self- + fertilization.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) The fertilization of a plant by itself; self-pollination, autogamy.
In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.
2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| self-fertilisation | alternative | lexicographic | |
| self-fertilizations | Number=Plur | lexicographic |