vdnt.

in/medicalv

Link Given in “Description Box”

POLLINATION
 Types of Pollination
1. Autogamy or self-pollination - If a stigma is pollinated by the pollen of the same
flower.
Geitonogamy - When the pollen of one flower pollinates the stigma of a different
flower but on the same plant.
2. Allogamy or cross-pollination - When the pollen of a flower pollinates the stigma of
another flower present on a different plant. True cross-pollination is called
Xenogamy.
E.g- Commelina,Viola, Oxalis
 Autogamy
The following are the conditions which favour autogamy
● Cleistogamy - The flowers which never open or which never expose their
anthers and stigmas are cleistogamous flowers and the phenomenon is called
cleistogamy. Oxalis – Cleistogamous flower
● In cleistogamous flowers - Self-pollination is a rule and there is no chance of
cross pollination.
● examples – Commelina and Viola
● There is assured seed-setting in cleistogamous plants even in the absence of
pollinators.
 Autogamy
● In Commelina bengalensis underground
flowers are cleistogamous and aerial flowers
are chasmogamous
● Chasmogamy: Flowers which open at
maturity are called chasmogamous flowers.
● Homogamy - When both male (stamen) and
female (carpel) of a bisexual flower mature at
the same time e.g., Mirabilis and Argemone
 ANEMOPHILY
● Pollination through wind.
● e.g., Coconut Palm, Date Palm, Maize, many grasses
Characteristics :
● The flowers are colourless, odourless and nectarless.
● Pollen grains are light, small and winged or dusty, dry
smooth, non sticky and unwettable.
● Stigma is hairy, feathery or branched to catch the
wind-borne pollen grains.
● Pollen grains are produced in very large number Wind
pollinated
 HYDROPHILY
● Pollination through water.
● Eg. Zoostera, Vallisneria
Characters:
● Flowers are small and hidden.
● Nectar and odour are absent.
● Pollen grains are light and unwettable due to
presence of mucilage cover.
● Stigma is long, sticky but unwettable.
 Epihydrophily
● Epihydrophily : Plants which are pollinated
outside the water. e.g., Vallisneria (Ribbon
weed).
● In Vallisneria, the female flower reach the
surface of water by the long stalk and the male
flowers or pollen grains are released on to the
surface of water.
● They are carried passively by water currents
some of them eventually reach the female
flowers and the stigma. EPIHYDROPHILY- Vallisneria
 Hypohydrophily
● Hypohydrophily : Plants which are
pollinated inside the water e.g.,
Zostera, Ceratophyllum, Najas, etc.
● In plants such as seagrasses, female
flowers remain submerged in water
and the pollen grains are released
inside the water.
● Pollen grains have mucilage cover.
● Pollination occurs inside the water HYPOHYDROPHILY
Water hyacinth and Water lily- Pollination by wind and insects
 ENTOMOPHILY
The pollen grains are transferred to a mature through the agency of insects like moths,
butterflies, wasps, bees, beetles, etc.

Characters :
● They are showy or brightly coloured.
● Most insect pollinated flowers have a
landing platform.
● The pollen grains are spiny, heavy and
surrounded by a yellow oily sticky
substance called pollen kit.
● Stigmas are often inserted and sticky.
● Some flowers provide safe place to
insects for laying eggs, e.g., Yucca.
YUCCA FLOWER AND MOTH
Tallest flower-- Amorphophallus.
common name- Elephant Yam, Whitespot
giant arum
 ORNITHOPHILY
It is the mode of allogamy performed by birds. Only a few types of birds are specialised for
this. (Hummingbird, sun bird) They usually have small size and long beaks.

Characters :
● Ornithophilous flowers are usually brightly
coloured— red, orange, yellow or blue.
● The floral parts are commonly leathery.
● The ornithophilous flowers secrete abundant
watery nectar or have edible parts.
● Scent is often absent.
Chiropterophily