diclinous

American  

[dahy-kluh-nuhs, dahy-klahy-] / ˈdaɪ klə nəs, daɪˈklaɪ- /

adjective

Botany.

1. (of a plant species, variety, etc.) having the stamens and the pistils in separate flowers, either on the same plant or on different plants; either monoecious or dioecious.

2. (of a flower) having only stamens or only pistils; unisexual.

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diclinous British  

/ daɪˈklaɪ-, daɪˈklaɪ-, ˈdaɪklɪnɪ, ˈdaɪklɪnəs /

adjective

1. (of flowering plants) bearing unisexual flowers

2. (of flowers) unisexual Compare monoclinous

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diclinous Scientific  

/ dī-klī′nəs /

1. Bearing imperfect flowers; having carpels and stamens in different flowers. A monoecious plant is diclinous since it bears male and female flowers separately, even though on the same plant. Dioecious plants are also diclinous, since an individual plant will bear flowers of only one sex.

2. Compare monoclinous

3. Having only stamens or only pistils; unisexual. Used of flowers.

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Other Word Forms

• diclinism noun
• dicliny noun

Etymology

Origin of diclinous

1820–30; di- ¹ + Greek klī́n ( ē ) couch, bed + -ous

Example Sentences

New Zealand abounds with diclinous plants and trees; and Dr. Hooker calculates that out of about 756 phanerogamic plants inhabiting the islands, no less than 108 are trees, belonging to thirty-five families.

From Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Darwin, Charles

Now the separation of the sexes, whether the plant were anemophilous are entomophilous, would most effectually bar self-fertilisation, and this may be the cause of so many trees and bushes being diclinous.

From Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Darwin, Charles

Very many, perhaps all, diclinous flowers may, under certain conditions, become perfect, at least structurally.

From Vegetable Teratology An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants by Masters, Maxwell T.

But I have been assured that the flowers of the prevailing Australian trees, namely, the Myrtaceae, swarm with insects, and if they are dichogamous they would be practically diclinous.

From Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Darwin, Charles

Pinus is also peculiar in the dimorphism of shoots and leaves and in their constant interrelations with the diclinous flowers.

From The Genus Pinus by Shaw, George Russell