DIOECIA, (from dis, twice, and ecia, a house or habitation) two houses; the name of the 22d class in Linnaeus's sexual method, consisting of plants which having no hermaphrodite flowers, produce male and female flowers on separate roots. These latter only ripen seeds; but require for that purpose, according to the sexualists, the vicinity of a male plant; or the aspersion, that is, sprinkling of the male dust. From the seeds of the female flowers are raised both male and female plants. The plants then in the class diocia are all male and female; not hermaphrodite, as in the greater number of classes; nor with male and female
flowers upon one root, as in the class monocia of the same author. See BOTANY Index.