mating system

The way that plants produce seeds. Some plants can produce seeds in multiple ways, while others are restricted to a single mating system. The types of mating system include outcrossing or cross-pollination (a flower receives pollen from another plant of the same species), autogamy or self-fertilization (a flower receives pollen from the same plant) and apomixis (asexual reproduction without fertilization that is only possible with evolution of a modified flower). Mixed mating systems, in which plants use two or even all three mating systems, are not uncommon.