In botany, describing flowers that have stamens and pistils that are not fully mature at the same time, preventing self-pollination.
From Greek 'herko' (barrier, obstacle) and 'gamous' (relating to marriage or union), literally meaning a barrier to self-mating in plants. This technical botanical term emerged in 19th-century plant science.
Hercogamous flowers evolved this trick to force cross-pollination—nature's way of making plants genetically diverse, which is why so many flowers stagger their male and female maturity!
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