itsepölyttymään

Itsepölyttymään is a Finnish term that translates to self-pollination in English. It refers to the process where a flower's pollen fertilizes its own ovule or the ovule of another flower on the same plant. This is a common reproductive strategy in many plant species.

Self-pollination can occur in several ways. In some plants, the pollen matures at the same time as the stigma, allowing for direct pollination. In others, the flower may be cleistogamous, meaning its flowers remain closed and self-pollinate before they even open. This ensures seed production even in the absence of pollinators.

While self-pollination can guarantee reproduction, it often leads to reduced genetic diversity within a plant population compared to cross-pollination, where pollen from different plants fertilizes the ovules. This can make self-pollinating species more vulnerable to environmental changes or diseases. However, it can be advantageous in environments where pollinators are scarce or unreliable. Many plants have developed mechanisms to promote or prevent self-pollination, depending on their specific ecological niche and evolutionary history.