'asymmetrically-awned' originates from the adverb 'asymmetrically' (from Greek 'asymmetria', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'symmetria' meant 'measure') combined with 'awned' (from the noun 'awn' + the adjectival/participial suffix '-ed', where 'awn' meant 'a bristle or beard of a grass seed').

'asymmetrically' developed from Greek 'asymmetria' → Latin/Medieval use → English 'asymmetry' and 'asymmetrical', then formed into the adverb 'asymmetrically'. 'Awn' appears in Middle English as 'awne' (from earlier Germanic/Old English forms) and became the modern English 'awn'; the compound technical adjective 'asymmetrically-awned' is a modern botanical formation combining these elements.

Initially, 'asymmetry' meant 'lack of equal measure' and 'awn' meant 'a bristle on a seed'; over time they remained semantically stable and now combine to mean 'having bristles placed unevenly' in botanical usage.