Unisexual Flowers vs. Bisexual Flowers

Main Difference

The main difference between Unisexual Flowers and Bisexual Flowers is that unisexual flowers are one in which the stamens or the carpels are absent, remaining or otherwise non-functional whereas Bisexual flowers contain both male (androecium) and female (gynoecium) reproductive organs, as well as stamens and an ovary.

Difference Between Unisexual Flowers and Bisexual Flowers

Comparison Chart

Unisexual Flowers vs. Bisexual Flowers

Unisexual flowers comprise male and female reproductive organs in separate flowers whereas bisexual flowers comprise both male and female reproductive organs are present in the same flower. In unisexual flowers, male flowers comprise stamens whereas female flowers comprise pistils whereas in bisexual flowers a single flower comprises anthers and ovary. In unisexual flowers, monoecious flowers experience both self and cross-pollination, and dioecious flowers specialize in undergoing cross-pollination whereas bisexual flowers can experience both self and cross-pollination. Unisexual flowers are known as incomplete flowers whereas bisexual flowers are known as complete flowers. Unisexual flowers are of two types as monoecious and dioecious while bisexual flowers are known as hermaphrodite or androgynous flowers. Flowers in papaya, watermelon, cor, and mulberry are the examples of unisexual flowers while flowers in rose, lily, hibiscus, mustard, and sweet pea are the examples for bisexual flowers.

What is a Unisexual flower?

Unisexual flowers are known as incomplete flowers, comprising either male or female reproductive organs in flower, which means, androecium, which is the male reproductive structure is known as male flower and gynoecium, which is the female reproductive structure is known as a female flower, are present in separate flowers. Unisexual flowers contain the male flowers which contain the stamen and the female flowers which contain the pistils. In many of unisexual flowers, the non-functioning structures of the other sex may still present but in a reducing form, and these flowers are well-known as either functionally male or female. Unisexual flowers contain two types, i.e., monoecious and dioecious. Plants that comprise both male and female flowers are referring to as monoecious. Corn is the example of a monoecious plant. Plants that include either male or female flowers are referring to as dioecious. Asparagus, dates, mulberry, persimmons, currant bushes, juniper bushes, and spinach are examples of dioecious plants.

In monoecious plants, both self and cross-pollination can occur. In dioecious plants, only cross-pollination can arise due to the presence of one types of flowers in the plant. Hence, unisexuality is considering as an adaptation to experience only cross-pollination, which is beneficial over the self-pollination. During cross-pollination, allogamy occurs, leaving the pollen grain of one plant on the stigma of another plant of the same species. The heritable material of two plants is associating during cross-pollination, making a genetically varying offspring to parents. Flowers display several characters like brightly color petals, scents, and nectar to fascinate insects to the flower

What is a Bisexual flower?

Bisexual flowers are known as complete flowers, comprising both male and female in one flower. In bisexual plants, self-pollination and cross-pollination can occur due to the occurrence of both reproductive organs in the same flower itself. During self-pollination, the stigma of a plant is pollinating by the pollen grains of an inherently identical flower. Hence, self-pollination produces hereditarily identical offspring to the parent. These are commonly denoting as the androecium (male flowers) and gynoecium (female flowers) which present in one flower. These bisexual flowers are often stating as being hermaphrodites or androgynous flowers as they comprise both the stamen and pistils are present within the same flower. Bisexual flowers, on the other hand, hold a single flower with both the male pollen-producing parts and female seed-producing parts, which known as the anthers and ovary. Common examples of the bisexual flower are monoecious plants which include corn whereas dates, asparagus, and spinach are all common examples of dioecious plants. It arises in three ways as autogamy, geitonogamy, and cleistogamy. The pollination which occurs within the same flower is known as autogamy. Geitonogamy is the pollination which occurs between different flowers on the same plant. Cleistogamy is the pollination which arises on the flower before its opening.

Conclusion

Above this discussion, it concludes that both unisexual and bisexual flowers are involving in the sexual reproduction of angiosperms. Unisexual flowers comprise male and female reproductive organs in separate flowers whereas bisexual flowers comprise both male and female reproductive structures are existing in the same flower.