In general there are four opposing pairs of reproductive mechanisms in plants. [4]
Hermaphrodite and singularly Edit
Hermaphrodite plants are plants that have male and female genital organs allowing for self-fertilization. [4] In single plants, plants have only one genital organ and tend to cross-fertilize. [4] Hermaphrodite plants tend to decrease genetic variability in reproduction while single plants tend to increase their genetic variability.
Self pollination and cross-pollination Edit
The fertile hermaphrodite plants of the pollination process can occur either through self-pollination or cross-pollination. [4] Pollination that occurs between pollen and pistil in the same flower is called autogamy whereas among the pollen and pistils of different flowers are called allogami. [4]
Self-fertilization and cross-fertilization Edit
Pollination that occurs in a plant does not guarantee the occurrence of fertilization. [4] In a plant it is possible that fertilization does not occur when the pistil is pollinated by pollen from the same flower. [4] The event is called a mismatch itself (english: self-incompatibility)
Sexual and asexual Edit
Plants perform sexual reproduction by producing seeds through the process of fertilization. [4] Asexually plants can reproduce through two ways: vegetative or agamospermi. [4]