Have you ever wondered why that lovely flower you're holding smells good? Believe it or not, this is a natural mechanism that's important to the plant's survival.
We spray perfume on our bodies to smell good and attract members of the opposite sex. In a way, this is what flowers do.
Like humans, flowers need to reproduce or face extinction. They do this by producing pollen grains that need to reach other flowers. This is where pollination comes in.
Pollination is the process where pollen is transferred from one flower to another for the sexual reproduction of plants. This is accomplished in two different ways.
In abiotic pollination, pollination is done without the help of other organisms or pollinators. This is accomplished mostly by the wind (a process called anemophily) that carries the pollen to other plants. Another form of abiotic pollination is hydrophily or pollination by water which is common in aquatic plants.
Abiotic pollination occurs in only 20 percent of plants. Of that number, anemophily accounts for 98 percent of pollination while two percent is by hydrophily.
The most common form of pollination is biotic which is done with the help of pollinators or organisms that carry or move the pollen. In most cases, this is done by insects. Other pollinators include bees, flies, bats, moths and birds.
"Pollinators are simply animals and insects that will come into contact with the flowers, and then move on, taking the pollen with them. As they progress from flower to flower, the transferred pollen interacts with the eggs and produces the seeds. As the seeds are distributed, an abundance of types of flowers will result," according to Malcolm Tatum of WiseGeek.Com.
To attract insects and other animals that make pollination possible, flowers can't wear perfume like we do. That's why they produce their own. In short, they rely on fragrance to get the attention of pollinators. By doing so, the propagation of the species is assured.
"Part of the mechanism that is used to attract insects and animals such as bats to roses and other flowers is the fragrance. Using this powerful lure gets the pollinator in close proximity to the plant. In like manner, the flower scent in turn attracts the pollinator to other plants, making pollination possible. The fact that flowers smell good is simply nature's way of making sure the cycle of life for the plants continues with no interruption," Tatum added.
Of course, the scent of flowers appeals to many people as well which one of the reasons why we love flowers. This "scent-sational" quality makes flowers great gifts no matter what the occasion is.
For fresh flowers that are professionally designed and perfect for any occasion, go to the trusted source - Discount Flower Delivery Compton. - 20761
We spray perfume on our bodies to smell good and attract members of the opposite sex. In a way, this is what flowers do.
Like humans, flowers need to reproduce or face extinction. They do this by producing pollen grains that need to reach other flowers. This is where pollination comes in.
Pollination is the process where pollen is transferred from one flower to another for the sexual reproduction of plants. This is accomplished in two different ways.
In abiotic pollination, pollination is done without the help of other organisms or pollinators. This is accomplished mostly by the wind (a process called anemophily) that carries the pollen to other plants. Another form of abiotic pollination is hydrophily or pollination by water which is common in aquatic plants.
Abiotic pollination occurs in only 20 percent of plants. Of that number, anemophily accounts for 98 percent of pollination while two percent is by hydrophily.
The most common form of pollination is biotic which is done with the help of pollinators or organisms that carry or move the pollen. In most cases, this is done by insects. Other pollinators include bees, flies, bats, moths and birds.
"Pollinators are simply animals and insects that will come into contact with the flowers, and then move on, taking the pollen with them. As they progress from flower to flower, the transferred pollen interacts with the eggs and produces the seeds. As the seeds are distributed, an abundance of types of flowers will result," according to Malcolm Tatum of WiseGeek.Com.
To attract insects and other animals that make pollination possible, flowers can't wear perfume like we do. That's why they produce their own. In short, they rely on fragrance to get the attention of pollinators. By doing so, the propagation of the species is assured.
"Part of the mechanism that is used to attract insects and animals such as bats to roses and other flowers is the fragrance. Using this powerful lure gets the pollinator in close proximity to the plant. In like manner, the flower scent in turn attracts the pollinator to other plants, making pollination possible. The fact that flowers smell good is simply nature's way of making sure the cycle of life for the plants continues with no interruption," Tatum added.
Of course, the scent of flowers appeals to many people as well which one of the reasons why we love flowers. This "scent-sational" quality makes flowers great gifts no matter what the occasion is.
For fresh flowers that are professionally designed and perfect for any occasion, go to the trusted source - Discount Flower Delivery Compton. - 20761
About the Author:
National Press Club and Philippine Dental Association awardee George Nava True II is a popular Manila-based freelancer who has written thousands of articles on a variety of topics under the pseudonyms Janet Martin, Jill Stewart, Sharon Bell and, more recently, Tracy Anderson. He can be reached at sparklingtrue@yahoo.com.
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