Plural of gemmule; small buds or asexual reproductive structures in plants and animals.
From gemmule plus the regular English plural -s. The singular term comes from Latin gemma with the diminutive -ule.
Hydra, one of the simplest animals on Earth, reproduces through gemmules—it literally buds off baby clones from its side like a biological photocopier! This process was one of the first reproductive strategies evolution ever invented, and some creatures still prefer it to sex.
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