What does apomixis mean?
Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction found chiefly in flowering plants, in which seeds are produced without fertilization. Unlike ordinary sexual reproduction, where meiosis shuffles genes and sperm meets egg, apomictic plants bypass both processes: embryos form directly from unreduced cells of the ovule, and the resulting seeds grow into plants that are genetic replicas of the parent. The term comes from Greek roots meaning 'away from' and 'mingling,' reflecting the absence of sexual union. Apomixis is well known in dandelions, blackberries, and some grasses and citrus species, where it produces stable, clonal lineages. For plant breeders it holds great promise — if apomixis could be introduced into crops, elite hybrid varieties could reproduce themselves faithfully for generations. The word belongs to formal scientific writing rather than casual speech, but it captures one of botany's most intriguing reproductive strategies.
nounAsexual reproduction in plants in which seeds are formed without fertilization, so that the offspring are clones of the parent plant.
- Asexual reproduction through seeds in flowering plants, in which embryos develop without meiosis or fertilization, producing offspring genetically identical to the parent.
"Dandelions reproduce by apomixis, producing seeds that give rise to genetically identical plants."
"Many Citrus species exhibit apomixis, so their seeds often grow into clones of the tree that bore them."
"Plant breeders have long sought to harness apomixis to fix hybrid vigor in crop varieties."
The plural follows the Greek-style declension of the singular 'apomixis'; it is rarely needed since the term usually refers to the phenomenon generally rather than to countable instances.
"The survey compared the apomixes observed across several grass species."
Dandelion seeds don't need fathers — thanks to apomixis, every dandelion is essentially a clone of its mother.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apomixis
Apomixis derives from Greek: 'apo-' meaning 'away from' or 'without,' and 'mixis' meaning 'mingling' or 'intercourse,' so the word literally denotes reproduction without the mingling of gametes. It was coined in the late nineteenth century within German-language botany, alongside the related terms amphimixis (sexual reproduction) and apogamy. These words share the same Greek root 'mixis' and remain standard technical vocabulary in plant science today.
Related word forms
How apomixis is actually used
A technical term used almost exclusively in botany, genetics, and agricultural science; it is rare in everyday conversation. It may be pronounced with stress on either the second or third syllable, though /ˌæpəˈmɪksɪs/ is common.
Easily confused with apomixis
Apogamy is the development of a sporophyte from gametophyte tissue without fusion of gametes (as in ferns), whereas apomixis specifically refers to asexual seed formation in flowering plants.
Parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell and can occur in animals as well as plants, while apomixis is the broader botanical term for seed production without fertilization.