Definition of protogynous in English:
protogynous
adjective prəʊˈtɒdʒɪnəsprōˈtäjənəs
Zoology Botany (of a hermaphrodite flower or animal) having the female reproductive organs come to maturity before the male.
The opposite of protandrous
Example sentencesExamples
- Of particular interest was gender variation of early blooming inflorescences in this protogynous species.
- Functionally, flowers are hermaphroditic, protogynous and self-compatible, but substantial seed production requires insect pollination.
- The pistillate flower of the cyathium develops before the male ones; thus each cyathium is functionally a protogynous hermaphrodite ‘flower’.
- Female wrasses are called protogynous hermaphrodites, which means they can change sex to become males should there be a need, such as when a dominant male is eaten, dies, or is chased away.
- Flowers of this species are protogynous, visited by a good variety of insects, and capable of both self-and cross-fertilization.
Derivatives
noun
Botany Zoology Sequential hermaphroditism (functioning as male during one life phase and as female during another) is common in marine fishes, with protogyny (sex change from female to male) predominating.
Example sentencesExamples
- However, the form of dichogamy (protogyny and protandry) is likely to have different consequences for autogamy versus geitonogamy.
- Protandry (and the less frequent, opposite pattern called protogyny) may occur for different reasons in different taxa.
- At the extreme, true prolificacy leads to protogyny whereas normal maize shows protandry.
- This fish species exhibits protogyny (females are capable of becoming males).