Partners in plants

Skimmia is one of the very few genera in either the plant or animal kingdom where the male is more attractive than the female. Peter Dowdall discusses the many forms of this winter-flowering plant. 

SEX is essential for the continuation of species — and it’s not just in the animal kingdom that male and female exist, no, the plant world too is made up of guys and gals.

Well, not quite, but there are several plants which are what’s called diocecious and produce male and female plants and rarely, (and with some species, never) a single plant with both male and female parts.