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Orchid Pollination - how does it work?

Here is the basic scenario in orchid pollination. When a pollinator enters into an orchid that produce pollinia, it touches a viscidium, which promptly sticks to its body, usually on the head or abdomen. Then, when leaving the flower, it pulls the pollinium out of the anther, as it is connected to the viscidium by the caudicle or stipe. The caudicle then bends and the pollinium is moved forwards and downwards. When the pollinator enters another flower of the same species, the pollinium has taken such position that it will stick to the stigma of the second flower and pollinating it. But, orchids have developed many different, highly specialized pollination systems using several ingenious methods.
  • Pollinators are often visually attracted by the shape and colours of the labellum. The orchid can also draw pollinators by imitating insects, bees, and butterflies with the patterns on its petals.
  • Their flowers may produce attractive odours. Orchids with sweet scents usually attract bees, and those with a rancid smell lure flies.
  • In some extremely specialized orchids the labellum is adapted to have a colour, shape, and odour which attracts male insects by mimicking a receptive female. Pollination happens as the insect attempts to mate with the orchid.
  • Some have the function to trap visiting insects, with the only exit leading to the anthers that deposit pollen on the visitor.
  • Some orchids rely on self-pollination, especially in colder regions where pollinators are particularly rare. The caudicles may dry up if the flower hasn’t been visited by any pollinator and the pollina then fall directly on the stigma.
  • Many neotropical orchids are pollinated by male orchid bees, which visit the flowers to gather chemicals they require to synthesize pheromonal attractants. Each type of orchid places the pollinia on a different body part of a different species of bee, so as to enforce proper cross-pollination.
  • Some orchids are pollinated by crawling insects, and thus have long petals that brush the ground.
  • One underground orchid in Australia never sees the light of day and depends on ants and other terrestrial insects to pollinate it.
  • Insects alone do not pollinate orchids. Small mammals, hummingbirds, bats, and the wind also contribute to the survival of the species.
  • Some orchids lure a prospective pollinator to the edge of its slippery pouch, and the insect falls in. When it finds the single exit, it brushes against the pollinia.
  • One type actually launches its viscid pollinia with explosive force when an insect touches a seta, knocking the pollinator off the flower.
  • Many neotropical orchids are pollinated by male orchid bees, which visit the flowers to gather chemicals they require to synthesize pheromonal attractants. Each type of orchid places the pollinia on a different body part of a different species of bee, so as to enforce proper cross-pollination.
  • Some orchids are pollinated by crawling insects, and thus have long petals that brush the ground.
  • One underground orchid in Australia never sees the light of day and depends on ants and other terrestri -->
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