Thursday 30 April 2020
Outline the differences between wind and insect pollinated flowers
Flowers of wind pollinated plants are small; with no bracts, sepals or
petals; if present the petals are small, inconspicuous; often white or green in
colour; while insect pollinated flowers are large; often with brightly coloured
petals, bracts or inflorescence; to attract insects. Flowers of wind pollinated
plants have no nectaries; and no scent; while flowers of insect pollinated
plants are scented; and produce nectar; in wind pollinated flowers, the anthers
are large; and loosely attached on a flexible filament; to allow pollen grains
to be readily released when wind blows on the anthers; while anthers of insect
pollinated flowers are usually small; and firmly attached on the filaments;
this ensures that the insect rub against the anther; as they crawl into the
flower collecting pollen grains onto their bodies; in wind pollinated flowers,
the stigmas are feathery; widely spread; this acts as nets to catch pollen as
it floats through the air; while in insect pollinated flowers the stigmas are
small; smooth; and sticky; and are also enclosed; this feature ensures that
pollen grains from the body of an insect stick onto it; in wind pollinated
flowers, the flowers are simple with no particular shape; while some flowers
that are insect pollinated have petals with grooves or dark lines; leading from
the petal boarder to the nectaries; some have tubular or funnel-shaped corolla;
and landing platforms; to guide the insect to the source of the nectar for
their food; flowers of wind pollinated plants are either on long stalks above
the leaves; or develop from flower buds that open before the leaf buds; to
increase the flower exposure to air currents; while flowers of insect
pollinated plants are on short stalks; often enclosed by the corolla;
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