How does the structure of flower fertilized by bees ensure its survival?

Oh, wow. People have written books on the subject. To try to be brief:
1. The flower offers nourishment in the form of pollen. In the course of
collecting pollen for food, the bee also deposits pollen on the next flower.
Some flowers, notably orchids, offer decorations that resemble pollen, or even
high-protein fake pollen, to attract bees.
2. The flower offers nectar, which the bees collect to make honey. In the act
of collecting nectar, they pollinate the flowers.
3. Bee pollinated flowers are usually fragrant. Colors are generally pink,
blue, yellow, or purple. Sometimes there are landing guides, perhaps visible
only in ultraviolet light.
4. Among the most highly evolved flowers, like orchids, there are certain
species where the flowers are modified into elaborate traps. When the bee lands
on the flower, she (in some bee species he) falls in the trap, & can't get out
without fertilizing the flower & picking up pollen for the next trip.
5. In a few really bizarre flowers, like Ophrys, the flower looks like a female
bee. A male bee tries to mate with it, & pollinates the flower in the process.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Gee Sean, I didn't know you were Rhiannon's mother.

Its bad enough you ruined the Aztecs but now this?

Nobody asked you to wax pedantic, did they?

Don't expect to get partial credit for answering Rhiannon's test question
for her.


Sean Houtman wrote in message
...
From: "Cereoid+10"

rhiannon wrote in message
. com...
How does the structure of flower fertilized by bees enure it's
survival?


Is that endure or insure?


Probably it is ensure. I am not sure if you could get coverage for a bee.
Depends on wether or not you can put up with it.

There are a lot of different structures that flowers use to attract bees.
So
many that you can't really be very general about what a flower needs to
have
for bee pollination.

Usually there is some sort of landing platform, also a reward. They tend
to be
yellow in color. Pollen is generally sticky. Sometimes it is placed on
specific
parts of the bee's body by the flower. There can also be scent to attract
a
bee.

Unfortunately, exceptions practically outnumber the rules. You can't
really get
into the head of a bee.

You can look at an individual flower and see how it is adapted to be
pollinated
by bees. For instance, most flowers of the genus Opuntia are yellow or
pink,
and point upward to make landing convenient. The stigma is longer than the
stamens, to prevent accidental self pollination. When a bee lands on the
flower, it lands on the middle, then burrows to the base of the stamens to
get
a nectar reward. The stamens are sensitive to touch and move inward and
down
when contacted, since the bee is in there looking for nectar, it tends to
get a
lot of pollen all over it. To escape the clutches of the stamens, the bee
exits
toward the petals, and takes off from there, also preventing self
pollination.
After some period of time the stamens relax and it becomes possible for a
bee
to burrow to the base again for more nectar. The bees can learn by the
position
of the stamens if they are likely to get nectar and can avoid recently
visited
flowers.

Compare that to the trapdoor of a snapdragon.

Sean



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Last updated 08-04-02 with 15 pictures of the Aztec Ruins.
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From: "Cereoid+10"

Gee Sean, I didn't know you were Rhiannon's mother.


I am everyone's mother.


Its bad enough you ruined the Aztecs but now this?

Well, at least I don't top post.



Nobody asked you to wax pedantic, did they?


Wax, heh heh, funny.


Don't expect to get partial credit for answering Rhiannon's test question
for her.


It isn't a test question, it is part of a paper.

Sean



--
Visit my photolog page; http://members.aol.com/grommit383/myhomepage
Last updated 08-04-02 with 15 pictures of the Aztec Ruins.
Address mungled. To email, please spite my face.