Which of the following flower characteristics is NOT a mechanism to prevent self-pollination?
Dichogamy
Protogyny
Herkogamy
Dicliny
Dicliny, or the presence of unisexual flowers, is a mechanism employed by flowering plants to promote cross-pollination. It ensures that cross-pollination is the rule among diclinous plants and prevents self-pollination. On the other hand, dichogamy, protogyny, and herkogamy are mechanisms that prevent self-pollination. Dichogamy refers to the maturation of stamens and carpels at different times, protogyny involves the maturation of the carpel before the stamens, and herkogamy refers to physical barriers between the anther and the style, making self-pollination difficult or impossible. Hence, option 4 is the correct answer.