The costs of Biscutella laevigata adaptation, a facultative metallophyte, to an environment polluted with heavy metals were established by analyzing the differences in embryological processes between plants from two populations in Southern Poland (a mountain, in the Tatra Mountains and calamine, in Bolesław). Disturbances in male and female lineage development and degeneration processes occurred in the anthers and ovules of plants from both populations, but with a higher frequency in the calamine population where A part of stamens/anthers and ovules in flowers were in a stage of degenertion. which could be interpreted as a strategy to save resources limited by the environment. The distribution of high-esterified homogalacturonan detected by LM20 antibody in the cell walls of embryos from the calamine population could be part of a resistance/defense system. The results from both populations indicate that B. laevigata has already developed adaptation/tolerance, enabling maintenance of the calamine population over time. Tolerant species could be an important source for revitalization and/or phytoremediation of polluted environments.