Plants wind-blown. Modest spring flowers

We are surrounded by hundreds of plant species, dazzling with bright and fragrant flowers. We are so used to them that we do not even think about that their life is the result of an amazing interaction with the external environment - insects, wind, water and birds. For seed plants, pollination is necessary, without it they can not continue their genus and be fully realized. As a result of evolution, representatives of the flora found many ways to transfer pollen. In order for the pollination to be successful, the pollen from the stamen must fall on the stigma of the pistil of another flower belonging to the same species.

Plants wind-blown

About 20% of flowering plants on our planet are pollinated by wind. The structure of their colors is ideally suited for this process, as is the flowering time. In most cases blossom wind-blown plants in the spring, until the moment when the first leaves begin to blossom. This choice was made by them not accidentally, as the foliage makes the laborious process of pollination by the wind even more difficult, leaving the poor fellows too little chance of reproduction.

Plants wind-blown usually grow in large groups to make it easier for them to perform their difficult task. Flowers they do not stand out either bright juicy colors, nor a strong inviting scent. They are small in size and collected in large inflorescences. The stamens of the wind-blown flowers hang down and usually have hairs that trap the passing pollen. Also for these purposes, a special adhesive liquid can be used. Plants wind-dusted have a dry light pollen of a smooth form so that the wind can easily pick up and carry it away.

Insect-pollinated plants

Their flowers are the exact opposite of the colors of wind-pollinated plants. They have a bright color and a strong aroma. All this is necessary for insects to be able to notice a flower hiding in its bowels cherished delicacy. The summer variety of colors clearly demonstrates the diversity of tricks that plants use to attract pollinator insects. Insect-polluted and wind-pollinated plants pursue completely different goals. That's why they are so different in their structure. Most of the flowers that are considered beautiful, look so that they can be easily seen from the air and distinguished from others.

Another means of attracting insects is the fragrance. Different insects like completely different smells. So, for example, bees and bumblebees love the sweet floral scents that people like so much. Another thing - flies, prefer the aroma of rotting meat. Therefore, flowers pollinated by flies exude such unpleasant putrefactive smells.

Amazing harmony

Pollination of plants is an incredibly important matter, thanks to which our ecosystem exists. Insects do it not for the common good, they just look for nectar, which they feed on. And noble plants are ready to give them food, but in return they pollute the body of the insect with pollen, so that it brings it to another flower. For this, the most ingenious and incredible systems created by nature are used. Some plants even hold pollinators in hostages inside the flower, until they get enough pollen. Different plants are pollinated by different types of insects, which is due to the design of their flowers. Color is also of great importance, so, white flowers are pollinated mostly at night. Color helps the night butterflies to notice them, as does the fragrance that they emit only the sunset field.

No less interesting are wind-pollinated plants. Their pollen is spent very uneconomically, spreading over huge distances to fulfill its important mission. But wind-pollinated plants are many agricultural crops. But they certainly do not have problems with pollination, as their crops are occupied by whole hectares. Wherever the pollen is flying, it will surely hit the target. In the wild, wind-pollinated plants also grow in groups, but, unfortunately, are not so numerous.

Self-pollination

Self-pollination is the process by which pollen from the stamen of a flower falls on its own pestle. Most often this happens even before the flower opens. This phenomenon became a forced move due to the fact that some plant species could not make cross pollination. Over time, this feature is fixed, becoming permanent for many colors. Especially often self-pollination occurs among crops, but some wild plants also reproduce in this way.

However, self-pollination is not a unique feature of one species, an ordinary plant can resort to its help if there is nobody to pollinate it. Also, self-pollinating flowers can be pollinated in a cross way, if such an opportunity is provided to them.

Amazing flowers

Now you know which plants are wind-pollinated and which ones are pollinated by insects. As it turned out, side by side with us there is a whole amazing world in which everything is closely interconnected. A world in which the disappearance of one small bug can lead to the death of many species. Plants have amazing adaptive capacity. Some flowers can only be pollinated by one kind of insect, since their nectar is hidden very deeply. Others of them build reliable protection against unwanted guests wishing to feast on their nectar. For example, thorns or hairs on the stems of many flowers that do not allow the ants to get to the desired prey. The world of plants is a world of harmony and practicality. It was a great success that we could at least get a little acquainted with his beauty.