Tag: agents of pollination

Pollination is when pollen grains from an anther, the male portion of a flower, are transferred to a female part in the flower, known as the stigma. Zoophily is a form of pollination whereby pollen is transferred by animals. Zoophilous species frequently evolve mechanisms to make themselves more appealing to the particular type of pollinator. Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plant species transported externally by animals can have a variety of adaptations for dispersal, including adhesive mucus, and a variety of hooks, spines and barbs

Myrmecophily is the symbiotic relationship between plant and ants in which plants provide food to plant or place to hide eggs and ants help them in pollination. 

Pollination by insects is entomophily. Insects are the most common biotic agents of pollination. Bees are the most common insect which acts as pollinating agents. Other insect pollinators are butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, ants, moths. Flowers are brightly colored and scented to attract the insects. Majority of insect-pollinated flowers are large-sized. Entomophily occurs in Calotropis, Ficus, Salvia, etc.

In entomophily, insects are the pollinating agents. Insects are the most common biotic agents of pollination. Bees are the most common insect which acts as pollinating agents. Other insect pollinators are butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, ants, moths. Majority of insect-pollinated flowers are large-sized. These flowers are scented, colorful and fragrant and contain nectaries to attract insects. 

• About 80 percent of all plant pollination is biotic i.e it is carried out by insects such as bees, wasps, and birds.
• The remaining 20 percent of abiotically pollinated species, 98 percent is by wind pollination and 2 percent by water pollination.
  

Entomophily type of pollination takes place through the agency of insects. The entomophilous flowers are brightly colored and fragrance to attract the insects. Their pollen grains are sticky or spiny to easily get attached with the body of pollinators. When the insects visit the flowers, their body gets dusted with pollen grains, and when they fly and visit other flowers, they brush against the stigma which being sticky, at once receives the pollen grains from their body. Thus, cross-pollination is achieved. 

Hypohydrogamy includes the plants which are pollinated inside the water, e.g., Ceratophyllum, Naja, etc. Epihydrogamous - includes the plants which are pollinated on the surface of water.