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Monoecious versus Dioecious Species

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State

Monoecious species bear staminate and carpellate flowers on one plant; dioecious species bear them on separate plants.

Show

Corn is monoecious, tassels and ears on one plant; papaya is dioecious, male and female flowers on separate plants.

Watch for

Monoecious/dioecious describes sex distribution across a plant's flowers, not flower completeness — a species can be monoecious with complete or incomplete flowers.