AIM

To study the flowers adapted to pollination by different agencies (wind, insects, etc.)
REQUIREMENTs
Flowers of different plants, microscope, forceps, needle.
THEORY

Pollination: Transfer of pollen grains from the opened anther of stamen to the receptive stigma is called
pollination. It is of three types:
(a) Self-pollination (Autogamy): When the pollen are
same flower, it is called autogamy. transferred from the anther to the stigma of the
(6) Geitonogamy: When pollen are transferred from the
flower but borne on the same plant. e.g., anther of male flower to the stigma of the female
(c) Cross-pollination (Xenogamy,
monoecious plants like papaya, mulberry.
of flower of another plant but thisAllogamy): Transfer of pollen from the flower of one plant to stigma
requires various agents like wind, water, animals,
1. Anemophily: When the agent of insects, etc.
have following adaptations: pollination is wind, it is called anemophily. Anemophilous flowers
(i) Flowers small, colourless, odourless and
nectarless.
(ii) Calyx and corolla reduced.
(iii) Stamens-many with pollen grains-small, light, dry, dusty sometimes
by wind to long distances. winged so can be blown away
(iv) Pollens produced in huge quantities.
(v) Stigma-large, well exposed,
hairy,
palm, date palm, maize, [Link] to catch pollen. eg., Grasses, sugarcane, bamb00, coconut
2. Hydrophily: Pollination by water.
Adaptations in flowers are:
(i) Small, colourless,
inconspicuous, odourless,
(iü) Calyx, corolla-unwettable. nectarless flowers.
(iü) Stigma long and sticky. e.g.,
3. Entomophily: Pollination by insects Vallisneria, Zostera, Ceratophyllum, Hydrilla.
being
(i) Large, conspicuous, brightly
(ii) Petals-large and
coloured and showy flowers to attract insects
attractive.
(iii) Flowers blossom at a specific time
when particular pollinator is available
(iv) Flowers produce specific odour to
attract insects.
(v) Pollen edible.
(ui) Nectar secreted from
nectaries of flower as source of food for insects
(1yii) Pollen surface rough, spiny or
attractant and as an adherentcovered by yellow sticky
to insect body e.g., substance called pollenkit which acts as insect
4. Ornithophily: Pollination by birds. Salvia, Kosa, Magnolia, Sunflower. Bougainvillea.
(i) Flowers large with tubular or
Adaptations seen in flowers
(ii) Flowers brightly coloured and funnel-shaped corolla.
produce abundant watery nectar.
(iüi)) Odourless. e.g., Agave, Bignonia,
Bombax, Callistemnon.
 5.
Chiropterophily:
(i) Flowers large,
Pollination by bats.
dull coloured but with strong
(iü) Pollen abundant. scent.
(ii) Flowers secrete lot of nectar. eg.,
Kigelia pinnata, Adansonia
PROCEDURE
1. Take a flower and
observe its parts with the hand lens.
2. Extract the pollen and the pistil
and observe under the microscope.
OBSERVATIONS
1. Salvia: Pollinated by
honeybees.
Adaptations in flowers are:
(i) Gamopetalous corolla which is two lipped (bilabiate).
Lower lip provides platform for insect.
(ii) Each flower has two epipetalous stamens (stamens attached to petals by
has short filament and elongated connective. Half the anther is sterile and filaments). Each stamen
half the anther is fertile;
both the lobes are separated apart due to elongation of connective. Upper arm of
fertile lobe of anther and lower arm of connective bears sterile lobe. Sterile lobesconnective bears
of both anthers
form a plate above the lower lip. When a bee lands on lower lip to suck nectar, sterile plate is
pushed down, bringing down the fertile anther which dusts the pollen on back of bee. In flowers
which have dispersed their pollen, stigma hangs down. When bee loaded with pollen visits such a
flower, stigma gets pollinated from its back.
Bilipped corolla
Closed stigma
Mature stigma
Fertile anther lobe hanging down after
shedding pollen on pollination
back of insect Withering anther
Honeybee
Sterile anther lobe

(a) Pollen being shed on back of honeybee (b) Pollinated flower have its stigma hang down

Stigma receiving
pollen grains from
the back of insect

(c) The flower itself getting pollinated by getting

pollen from back of honeybees

Fig. Pollination mechanism in Salvia

 Vallisneria: Pollination by water. It is a dioecious Fermale flower
plant. Mature male flowers get abscised and float on
the surface of water. Mature female flowers also float Coiled stalk of fernale flower
on water surface but are attached to female plants Thin submerged leaf
by long stalks. Female flowers have large, sticky
trifid stigma. When male flower comes in contact Water
Male flower
with female flower, anthers burst to release pollen
and pollination occurs on the surface of water. After Compact rhizome
fertilization, female flowers are pulled down inside
water by coiling of flower stalks.
Sunfiower: Pollination by insects (honeybees). Small Fig. Vallisneria - Position of flowers
flowers bloom in bunches and are condensed together
to form ahead or capitulum so that a single insect pollinates large number of flowers.
Stigma is hidden and immature to avoid self-pollination. The inflorescence has two types of flowers
arranged on receptacle.
Ray fforets - brightly coloured; arranged on periphery of receptacle; to attract insects.
Dise forets - arranged in central region of receptacle; contain long style with two stigmas and nectary
at base of style. So when insect visits the inflorescence to collect nectar it receives pollen over its legs
and under surface of abdomen, thus pollen reaches the stigma of other flowers. Stamens ripen before
stigma to prevent self-pollination.

Disc floret
Stigma
Ray floret Style
Anthers
(Syngenesious stamens)
Corolla
Corolla
Calyx
Calyx
Bract
Ovary
Bract
Fig. Capitulum of sunflower
Fig. Ray floret
Fig. Disc floret
Maize: Pollination by wind.
(i) Flowers inconspicuous, non showy and not
(ii) Flowers devoid of scent and nectar.
brightly coloured.
(iiü) Pollen produced in large number.
(iv) Stigma shows silken threads to catch
5. Pinus: Pollination by wind.
pollen from atmosphere.
(i) Pollen are produced in large number.
(ii) Pollen are light weight and
have wings, so, can be carried to far
off places.
Panicle of male flower
-Peduncle
Exine
-Intine

-Silken threads of stigma -Nucleus

-Leaf -Wing

Inflorescence of maize
Pollen grain in Pinus
24 Together with® Biology Lab Manual-12