Despite the convenience of self-pollination (selfing) in flowering plants ^{1, 2, 3}, the detrimental effects of inbreeding that follow repeated selfing^{3, 4} have promoted strong natural selection for mating systems that ensure successful cross-fertilization (outcrossing). Here we describe a mechanism deployed by some tropical ginger flowers to avoid self-pollination — the flower moves its stigma (style), which normally acts as the pollen receptor, out of the way while its anther is releasing pollen. This cunning evasion adds to the diversity of pollination strategies that have contributed to the evolutionary success of flowering plants.

1. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
2. Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC 20560-0166, USA
3. Kunming Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China

Correspondence to: Qing-Jun Li^1,3 e-mail: Email: qjlixtbg@bn.yn.cninfo.net