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male. When compatible pollen contacts the pistil, a pollen tube grows down through the pistil to the ovules by chemical communication. The ovule is fertilized, the ovaries ripen and the plant is essentially pregnant.
The nectaries, which many pollinators seek, are located at the bottom of the flower so the pollinator must brush past the stamens to get its nectar reward. Insects need carbohydrates to fly fast and nectar is loaded with carbohydrates.
Bees are the only insects that collect pollen. It is a good source of protein and many flowers are shaped to make themselves hospitable to the bee. Abee’s tongue is only 3/8” long so, beepollinated flowers tend to be no deeper.
Some, like Foxgloves, are shallow tubes allowing the bee to crawl inside while still having its stinger end protruding for protection. Some flowers even grow a lip at the mouth of the tube as a type of porch for the bee to land easily.
Some flowers will self-fertilize. That is, their own pollen fertilizes their pistil. However, the process eliminates genetic diversity and produces identical clones. So most flowers prevent self-fertilization.
See OVERY, Page 18
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