Aim
To study the flowers adapted to pollination by different agents such as wind, insects and birds.
Material Required
- Fresh flowers
- Magnifying glass
Theory
What is Pollination?
Pollination is the process of transferring pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of the same or different flower. Pollination can be carried out by different agents such as wind, water, birds, insects, etc.
Following are a few observations of the flowers that are adapted to pollination by wind, insects and birds.
Also Refer: Pollination
Flowers Pollinated By Wind
Most of the conifers and angiosperms exhibit wind pollination. Such flowers do not produce nectar and fragrance. In the flowers pollinated by the wind, the microsporangia hang out of the flower. As the wind blows, the light-weight pollen blows with it. The pollen gets accumulated on the feathery stigma of the flower. These flowers appear even before the leaves when the spring commences. Few examples of such flowers include:
- Rice
- Corn
- Oats
- Maize
- Barley
- Papaya
Flowers Pollinated By Insects
The flowers pollinated by insects are bright-coloured and produce nectar. The fragrance of the flowers attracts the insects. The pollen is sticky, large, heavy and rough so that stick to the body of the insects. The stigmas are also sticky so that the pollens depositing are not dispersed. Nectar guides are present on the petals. Few examples of the flowers pollinated by insects are:
- Aster
- Lithops
- Magnolia
Flowers Pollinated By Birds
The flowers pollinated by birds are strong and are adapted to allow the birds to stay near the flowers without their wings getting entangled in them. The flowers are tubular and curved that facilitates nectar-sucking by birds. The flowers are odourless and bright-coloured that attracts the birds. While sucking the nectar, the pollen gets deposited on their beaks and neck and is transferred to the plant they visit next. Few examples of flowers pollinated by birds include:
- Hibiscus
- Fuchsias
- Verbenas
- Beebalms
- Bromeliads
Also Read: Types of Pollination
Learn more in detail about the different types of disease, the causing agents, other related topics and experiments at CoolGyan’S Biology.