What does autogamous mean?
Autogamous is a scientific adjective describing organisms—most commonly plants—that reproduce by self-fertilization, meaning the egg cells of an individual are fertilized by its own gametes rather than by those of another individual. In flowering plants, an autogamous species typically transfers its own pollen to its own stigma, often within the same flower, sometimes even before the flower opens. This reproductive strategy guarantees seed production when pollinators are absent and when population densities are low, but it comes at a cost: autogamous lineages accumulate far less genetic diversity than outcrossing ones, making them more vulnerable to disease and environmental change. Familiar crops such as wheat, barley, rice, and soybeans are predominantly autogamous, which is why plant breeders must actively create crosses to develop improved varieties. The word derives from the Greek roots autos ('self') and gamos ('marriage'), and it belongs to the same family of terms as allogamous (outcrossing) and hermaphroditic.
adjectiveRelating to or characterized by self-fertilization or self-pollination, especially of plants in which the ovules are fertilized by pollen from the same flower or individual.
- Of plants or their reproduction: involving self-fertilization or self-pollination, with gametes from the same individual uniting.
- More broadly in biology: relating to self-mating within a single organism or clone.
"Many annual weeds are autogamous, ensuring reproduction even in the absence of pollinators."
"Wheat is largely autogamous, so breeders must deliberately cross varieties to introduce new genetic variation."
"The autogamous habit of the orchid allows it to set seed deep in the forest where insect visitors are rare."
An autogamous plant never needs a partner: it can pollinate itself, which is why some flowers have reproduced this way for generations without ever meeting another individual.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autogamous
Autogamous combines the Greek autos ('self') with gamos ('marriage'), via the combining form -gamous used in biology for modes of reproduction. It entered English in the nineteenth century alongside related terms such as autogamy, as botanists formalized the distinction between self- and cross-fertilization. It shares the autos root with words like autonomous and autograph, and the -gamous element with monogamous, polygamous, and bigamous.
Related word forms
How autogamous is actually used
A technical term used mainly in botany, genetics, and evolutionary biology; rare in everyday speech. It carries no emotional connotation and appears almost exclusively in scientific writing. The corresponding noun is 'autogamy.'
Easily confused with autogamous
Autogenous means self-generated or originating from within (as in autogenous welding or infection), while autogamous refers specifically to biological self-fertilization.
Monogamous describes having a single mate at a time and applies to animals and humans, whereas autogamous describes organisms that fertilize themselves.