Bot. [mod.L., ad. Gr. ξενία state or relation of a guest, f. ξένος guest: see -IA1.] A supposed direct action or influence of foreign pollen upon the seed or fruit which is pollinated.
1899. Nat. Sci., May, 393. Xenia..., the direct action of the male elenient on the mother-plant, is an extremely hypothetical theory.
1901. Nature, 12 Dec., 126/2. Xenia is the name given to the results of the crossing of the plant by a foreign pollen, exhibited in some peculiarity which appears in the seed itself.
Xenia, pl. of XENIUM.
