Darlingtonia californica
©
2009 Makoto Honda. All Rights Reserved
A flower with two petals
and one sepal removed to show the corolla interior. A pollinator entering
though one of the five circular holes immediately touches the
stigma -- located at the same level -- with pollen from the previously
visited flower. When the pollinator exits the flower, now with the flower's
own pollen, a bell-shaped ovary shields the five-lobed stigma
below. This flower structure appears to encourage cross-pollination.
Photo Index
|