Unlike in higher animals, where parthenogenesis is rare, asexual reproduction may occur in plants by several different mechanisms. The formation of stem tubers in potato is one example. Particularly in arctic or alpine habitats, where opportunities for fertilisation of flowers by animals are rare, plantlets or bulbs, may develop instead of flowers, replacing sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction and giving rise to clonal populations genetically identical to the parent. This is one of several types of apomixis that occur in plants. Apomixis can also happen in a seed, producing a seed that contains an embryo genetically identical to the parent. COUNT 5
QSN1 Why do plants develop bulbs? ANS1 opportunities for fertilisation of flowers by animals are rare QSN2 What do plants do when the environment makes fertilization especially difficult? ANS2 replacing sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction QSN3 How different are the children produced by asexual parents? ANS3 genetically identical to the parent QSN4 What is the term for asexual cloning? ANS4 Apomixis QSN5 Does apomixis only occur in the parent? ANS5 can also happen in a seed