An hermaphrodite, or hermie, is a
plant of one sex that develops the sexual organs of the
other sex. Most commonly, a flowering female plant will
develop staminate flowers, though the reverse is also
true. Primarily male hermaphrodites are not as well
recognized only because few growers let their males
reach a point of flowering where the pistillate would be
expressed.
Hermaphrodites are generally viewed
with disfavor. First, they will release pollen and ruin
a sinsemelia crop, pollinating themselves and all of the
other females in the room. Second, the resulting seeds
are worthless, because hermaphrodite parents tend to
pass on the tendency to their offspring.
Please
note that occassionally specious staminate flowers will
appear in the last days of flowering of a female plant.
These do not drop pollen and their appearance is not
considered evidence of deleterious hermaphroditism.
Here's an image of a hermaphrodite, specifically
a female plant with staminate flowers.
Hermaphrodite photograph above by Ot1.
