The insect _visits the flower for the nectar_ (for the making of honey)
_and may unknowingly carry the pollen_. Spurs and sacs in the flower
are nectaries (Fig. 200), but in spurless flowers the nectar is usually
secreted _in the bottom of the flower cup_. This compels the insect to
pass by the anther and rub against the pollen before it reaches the
nectar. Sometimes the anther is a long lever poised on the middle point
and the insect bumps against one end and lifts it, thus bringing the
other end of the lever with the pollen sacs down on its back. Flowers
that are pollinated by insects are said to be =entomophilous= (“insect
loving”). Fig. 200 shows a larkspur. The envelopes are separated in
Fig. 201. The long spur at once suggests insect pollination. The spur
is a sepal. Two hollow petals project into this spur, apparently
serving to guide the bee’s tongue. The two smaller petals, in front,
are peculiarly colored and perhaps serve the bee in locating the
nectary. The stamens ensheath the pistils (Fig. 202). As the insect
stands on the flower and thrusts its head into the center, the
envelopes are pushed downward and outward and the pistil and stamens
come in contact with its abdomen. Since the flower is proterandrous,
the pollen that the pistils receive from the bee’s abdomen must come
from another flower. Note a somewhat similar arrangement in the
toadflax or butter-and-eggs.
[Illustration: FIG. 202.--STAMENS OF LARKSPUR, surrounding the pistils.]
In some cases (Fig. 203) the stamens are longer than the pistil in
one flower and shorter in another. If the insect visits such flowers,
it gets pollen on its head from the long-stamen flower, and deposits
this pollen on the stigma in the long-pistil flower. Such flowers are
=dimorphous= (of two forms). If pollen from its own flower and from
another flower both fall on the stigma, the probabilities are that the
stigma will choose the foreign pollen.
[Illustration: FIG. 203.--DIMORPHIC FLOWERS OF PRIMROSE.]
_Many flowers are pollinated by the wind._ They are said to be
=anemophilous= (“wind loving”). Such flowers produce great quantities
of pollen, for much of it is wasted. They usually have broad stigmas,
which expose large surfaces to the wind. They are usually lacking
in gaudy colors and in perfume. Grasses and pine trees are typical
examples of anemophilous plants.
[Illustration: FIG. 204.--FLOWERS OF BLACK WALNUT: two pistillate
flowers at _A_, and staminate catkins at _B_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account