I've been pondering apomoxy in Cotoneasters.
Any botanists on board who can help with a threshold question?
Cotoneaster species are "apomictic" (referring to asexual reproduction in which the plant embryos grow from egg cells without being fertilized by pollen).
Cotoneasters are apomictic and will, therefore, propagate true from seed (Wyman 1986).
However, because of the apomictic habit, many variants occur within each species (Everett 1982).
This variability has been exploited in cultivar development (Krüssman 1986; LHBH 1976).
*Because of apomoxy*, many variants occur *within each species*.......
why is this?
and why because of apomoxy?
