Dioeciousness

I have a couple of Operculicarya decaryi. They have not yet flowered. I am also getting sme Fockea edulis crispa. Is there any reliable way to visually determine the sex of these plants?
Curiously,
Liza

Hi Liza, I'm not familiar with the Opercularicarya, but if it's like most plants that have different male and female flowers you'll be able to tell once it blooms. The male flowers have anthers, which carry the pollen (which is most often a yellow powder) and the female flowers generally have stamens which are sticky and capture the pollen once it's transferred and move it to the ovary where the seeds are formed.

The plants themselves are not discernibly different from each other, just the form of the flower, so now it's a waiting game!

Best of luck,
Jacki

Comments for Dioeciousness

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Jul 16, 2012

To Jacki
by: Liza

Thanks for the response. I have heard that perhaps females of dioecious species have thicker stems to sustain the weight of seeds but that is relative I am sure.

Guess I will just have to wait and see.

PS...I heard that males are much more rare.

I've never heard that about the females, but it makes sense. It also makes sense about the males - after all, they can produce a lot of pollen which can be transferred to many female plants.

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