1. the condition or state of being dioecious; the occurrence of male and female reproductive organs in separate individual organisms of the same species.
Usage: biology; botany

Examples

• Dioecism is common in many plant species, where some individuals produce only flowers with stamens and others produce only flowers with pistils.
• The dioecism of ginkgo trees means that only male trees are typically planted in urban areas to avoid the foul-smelling fruit.
• In animals, dioecism ensures genetic diversity through the separation of male and female functions.
• Many conifers exhibit dioecism, with distinct male and female trees.
• The study of dioecism helps botanists understand reproductive strategies in flowering plants.