self-incompatible

[ self-in-kuhm-pat-uh-buhl ]

adjective

, Botany.

1. (of a plant species or cultivar) unable to be fertilized by its own pollen.

self-incompatible

adjective

1. (of a plant) incapable of self-fertilization because its own pollen is prevented from germinating on the stigma or the pollen tube is blocked before it reaches the egg cell

Derived Forms

• ˌself-ˌincomˌpatiˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• self-in·com·pat·i·bil·i·ty [self-in-k, uh, m-pat-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-incompatible¹

First recorded in 1915–20; self- ( def ) + incompatible ( def )

Example Sentences

Many fruit trees are also self-incompatible.

From Salon

Tristan Shaw pointed at a young pawpaw, a species that is self-incompatible and cannot use pollen produced on a given tree to pollinate flowers of the same plant.

From Seattle Times

The majority of cacao trees are what are known as self-incompatible, meaning they cannot pollinate themselves.

From Scientific American

The former plants are termed self-incompatible hermaphrodites; the latter, dioecious species.

From Literature

White mustard is "self-incompatible", meaning that an individual plant cannot pollinate itself.

From BBC