1. Pollination
Defn.?

2. Pollination Def’n: transfer pollen from stamen to stigma
Carpel = pistil

3. Life Cycle Sporic meiosis:
Gametophytes make gametes BY MITOSIS
Sporophyte makes meiospores BY MEIOSIS
Two bodies/one cycle: alternation of generations
Spore: cell grows
into organism
w/o joining with
another cell

4. Life Cycle
Overview:

5. Life Cycle
Overview:
Fertilization: union sperm with egg to form zygote

6. Floral variation Parts may be fused
Like parts: connation (ex., petals to petals)
Unlike parts: adnation (ex., stamens to petals)
Snapdragon flower
Anisacanthus (Acanthaceae) flower

7. Floral variation Flower with stamens and pistil: perfect flower
Another
kind of
perfection….

8. Floral variation Some flowers imperfect. Pistillate or staminate
Pistillate flowers Sagittaria
Staminate flowers Sagittaria

9. Floral variation
Pistillate & staminate flowers on separate individuals: Dioecy (MUST outcross)
Monoecy: both sexes on same individual.
Flower missing one or more sets parts: incomplete flower
All imperfect flowers incomplete!
Who am I?

10. Floral variation Some flowers grouped: inflorescence
Special type: head. Ex, sunflower
Often: ray & disk flowers
ray flowers
disk
flowers

11. Pollination as Mutualism
Most flowers pollinated by animals
Exceptions:
wind pollinated (anemophily)
water pollinated (hydrophily)
Usually mutualism (+,+)
Plant: pollen transferred
Animal: “reward”
Animal Reward…

12. Rewards Pollen: high protein Renewed by: Also lipids, minerals, starch
sequential anther dehiscence (multiple stamens)
poricidal anthers (buzz pollination)

13. Rewards Nectar: sugary fluid produced by nectaries Renewable reward!
10-60% mono- or disaccharides
amino acids too (butterfly flowers)
Renewable reward!
Plant benefit?

14. Pollination Benefits animal pollination (to plant)
1) Directed dispersal pollen: Floral cues and attractants
Learning decreases “handling time”
“Floral constancy:” visit single species on foraging trip
Bumblebee
visits to
touch-me-not

15. Pollination Benefits of animal pollination stigma style ovary 2 ovules
2) Style as “selective racetrack”
1 pollen grain fertilizes 1 ovule
Pollen grains
stigma
style
ovary
2 ovules

16. Pollination Benefits of animal pollination stigma style ovary 2 ovules
2) Style as “selective racetrack”
Pollen tubes
How many can fertilize an ovule?
Pollen grains
stigma
pollen tubes
style
ovary
2 ovules

17. Pollination Benefits of animal pollination stigma style ovary 2 ovules
2) Style as “selective racetrack”
Pollen tubes haploid (1n)
1 allele for every trait
Pollen grains
stigma
style
ovary
2 ovules

18. Pollination Benefits of animal pollination stigma style ovary 2 ovules
2) Style as “selective racetrack”
So, fittest (fastest) pollen grains mate
Pollen grains
stigma
style
ovary
2 ovules

19. Pollination Evidence? Coyote melon: U.S. deserts
Seeds from over-pollinated flowers produce more vigorous seedlings

20. Outcrossing Major benefit sexual reproduction is ___________
Enhanced by mating with others (outcrossing)
How favor
Outcrossing?

21. Outcrossing
Favor outcrossing:
1) Dioecy

22. Outcrossing Favor outcrossing: 2) Floral morphology
Heterostyly: Distyly and tristyly

23. Outcrossing Favor outcrossing: 3) Floral phenology
Protandry: anthers dehisce first
Protogyny: stigma becomes receptive first
Protandry

24. Outcrossing Favor outcrossing:
4) Self-incompatibility: prevent germination self pollen or slow self pollen tube growth

25. Pollinator Specialization
May be learned
May be species-specific
Monolecty: Flowers of 1 plant species visited
Oligolecty: Flowers of few plant species visited
Polylecty: Flowers of many plant species visited

26. Pollination syndromes
Disclaimer: We make broad generalizations and exceptions exist to most statements!

27. Pollination syndromes
Bee pollination
Bees:
intelligent, agile
good eyesight (including UV light)
good smellers
day-active
Halictid bee
Leafcutter bee
Bumble bee

28. Pollination syndromes
Bee flowers:
Colorful (not red)
Landing platform: where bee lands on flower
Often nectar guides: patterns help bee orient
Petals in visible light
(top) and UV (bottom)

29. Pollination syndromes
Moth pollination
Moths:
Poor vision (nocturnal)
Excellent smellers
Long coiled tongue
Some (hawkmoths) hover

30. Pollination syndromes
Moth pollination
Moth-pollinated flowers
Open night
Sweet fragrance
White/light colored
Nectar in tube
Nectar spur story

31. Pollination syndromes
Angraecum orchid (Madagascar)
Nectar spur almost
1 foot long!

32. Pollination syndromes
Angraecum orchid from Madagascar.
Nectar spur almost
1 foot long!
Tongue…

33. Pollination syndromes
Tongue Magazine, Gene Simmons fans.
Family Guy:
“Kiss saves Santa”
Gene Simmons
from KISS

34. Biotic Pollination Mutualism: (+,+) interaction Do cheaters prosper??
Sometimes…..

35. Pollination syndromes
Flesh fly pollination
Lay eggs in meat

36. Pollination syndromes
Some fly-pollinated flowers
No reward: flies fooled.
Stapelia flower

37. Pollination syndromes
Sexual mimics: Males attempt to mate (pseudocopulation)
No reward supplied
A male wasp “mating”
with an Ophrys flower
(how embarrassing...)

38. Pollination syndromes
Another trick flower
Grass pink orchid (Calopogon): pitcher plant bogs SE US
Fake stamens on labellum
Cattleya orchid (flower
made right side up)
Calopogon orchid (flower
made upside down!)

39. Biotic Pollination
Do cheaters prosper?? Floral robbers!
Cool robbers…

40. Biotic Pollination
Floral Robber: Remove rewards (nectar, pollen) but do not pollinate
Ex, snapdragon
Is robbing bad for plant?

41. Biotic Pollination Do cheaters prosper?? Yucca moth story
Yucca: Agave family
Ex, Yucca filamentosa

42. Biotic Pollination Pollination by yucca moth: Behavior
Question: What do you call a female yucca moth?

43. Biotic Pollination Question: What do you call a female yucca moth?
A pistil-packing momma……….
Granny Glock

44. Biotic Pollination
What if moth cheats (lays too many eggs?)