agamospermy
Very LowTechnical / Scientific
Definition
Meaning
The production of seeds without fertilisation, involving asexual reproductive processes within the ovule.
A botanical term for a form of asexual reproduction (apomixis) in flowering plants where seeds are produced without the fusion of male and female gametes, resulting in offspring genetically identical to the parent plant.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A specialised term used almost exclusively in botany and plant genetics. It is a subset of apomixis, specifically referring to seed development without fertilisation, distinct from vegetative propagation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or spelling. The term is used identically in international scientific literature.
Connotations
Purely technical, with no regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, confined to advanced botanical texts and research.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Plant species] + exhibits/undergoes + agamospermyAgamospermy + occurs + in [plant family]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None applicable”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in advanced botany, plant genetics, and horticulture research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Core term in specific discussions of plant reproductive biology and apomictic crop breeding.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The dandelion population largely reproduces by agamospermising, maintaining its genetic profile.
American English
- This citrus variety can agamospermize, producing true-to-type seeds without pollination.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Agamospermy is a difficult word about plants.
- Some plants can make seeds without sex, a process called agamospermy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a plant that says, "A-GAME-O'-SPERM? Not for me!" (A-gamos-permy), meaning it doesn't need sperm/gametes to play the seed-making game.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLONING AS SEED PRODUCTION (The plant 'clones' itself by packaging an embryo into a seed without sexual partnership).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'партеногенез' (parthenogenesis), which is embryo development from an unfertilised egg, often in animals. Agamospermy is specifically seed-based.
- The '-spermy' part relates to 'seed' (sperma), not directly to 'sperm' (сперматозоид).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'agamosperm' or 'agamospemy'.
- Using it as a general synonym for all asexual reproduction in plants.
- Incorrect pronunciation placing stress on the first syllable (/ˈæɡəməʊspɜːmi/).
Practice
Quiz
Agamospermy is most closely associated with which field of study?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Vegetative propagation involves new plants growing from stems, roots, or leaves (e.g., runners, tubers). Agamospermy specifically produces a new individual from a seed that developed without fertilisation.
No. Agamospermy is a botanical term for seed-based asexual reproduction, which is a structure unique to plants. A similar concept in some animals is parthenogenesis.
It allows a well-adapted plant to produce genetically identical offspring (clones) via seeds, ensuring successful traits are preserved and allowing seed dispersal, without needing pollinators or compatible mates.
It is rare in major crops but is a subject of intense research. Introducing agamospermy into crops like maize or wheat could allow farmers to save seeds from high-yielding hybrids without losing their superior traits.