Sexual Dimorphism in Dioecious Plant Species
Summary
Sexual dimorphism in dioecious plants encompasses the genetic separation of male and female individuals within a species, resulting in divergent reproductive, morphological and physiological traits. In many angiosperms and gymnosperms, female plants often allocate greater carbon and nutrient resources to ovule and seed production, leading to reduced vegetative growth, altered secondary metabolism and enhanced defence mechanisms compared with males. Conversely, male individuals may prioritise rapid shoot extension, greater nitrogen uptake and pollen output, reflecting differing reproductive currency requirements. Such trade-offs manifest in growth rates, leaf chemistry, resource-use efficiency and resilience to abiotic stress. In bryophytes, sex-specific phenology and gametophyte architecture influence spore dispersal and fertilisation success, often yielding temporal or spatial biases in sex ratios. Environmental factors—such as nutrient availability, light competition, temperature and moisture—drive sex-specific plasticity, with local adaptation shaping dimorphic responses across taxa. A comprehensive understanding of sexual dimorphism informs forest management, conservation of threatened dioecious species and optimisation of biomass crops by guiding sex selection and cultivation strategies.
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Sexual Dimorphism in Dioecious Plant Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sexual dimorphism in dioecious plant species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dioecious: A breeding system in which individual plants are either male or female.
Sexual dimorphism: Morphological or physiological differences between male and female individuals of a species.
Antheridiophore: The male sex-organ bearing structure in certain bryophytes.
Archegoniophore: The female sex-organ bearing structure in certain bryophytes.
Phenotypic sex ratio: The proportion of observable male to female individuals in a population.
Gemmae: Asexual propagules in liverworts used for vegetative reproduction.
References
- Coppice growth traits in sand dune willow (Salix cordata) and comparisons with two common North American shrub willows used for biomass production. Biomass and Bioenergy (2023).
- The biology of Marchantia polymorpha subsp. ruderalis Bischl. & Boissel. Dub in nature. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
- Comparative Patterns of Sex Expression and Sex Ratios in Island and Continental Bryophyte Populations. Plants (2025).
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