Special Delivery: How Pollination Works to Make Flowers Grow

Orchids are an attractive and large family of plants that are loved by many. In fact, they are one of the largest plant families in the world. They are valued for their beauty, with some used for medicines and even food. For example, vanilla is an orchid. The flowers grow in vibrant colors and color combinations and vary in appearance. Some orchids even mimic the environment around them in an effort to aid pollination. By copying their surroundings, they are better able to lure insects, birds, and even certain animals that can help spread their pollen. To understand how insects spread the pollen of orchids and other flowering plants, it is necessary to first understand pollination.

A flowering plant has reproductive parts that make pollination possible. They have a stamen, which produces pollen, and they also have a stigma, which sits atop of what is called the pistil. The stigma is considered the female part of the plant, and it is typically sticky. The stamen is the male part of the plant, and the pollen that it produces is granular and also sticky. For pollination to occur, the pollen must be transferred from the stamen of one flower to the stigma of another flower of the same species. For example, the pollen of an orchid must be transferred to the stigma of another orchid for pollination to work. The insect or bird that carries the pollen from one flower to another is called a pollinator. It collects the pollen when it lands on a flower, typically to feed or look for food. The pollen sticks to the pollinator's legs and body and is rubbed or otherwise falls off when it lands on the stigma of another flower. Once it is on the stigma, the pollen germinates, resulting in a pollen tube rising from the flower's ovule. If fertilization is a success, the ovule will develop into a seed.

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