Amorous wasps 'seduced' by orchids

Orchids that mimic women wasps May not only wasting time men they attract wasps in their dissemination of pollen - they also appeal to lose value in semen, Sydney researchers have found.

And flowers benefit twice - get help in their own reproduction, and perhaps indirectly producing more men pollinators in the process.

Some of the more exotic orchids are known to have evolved their convoluted forms to attract insects, which unwittingly collect pollen and transfer as they try to mate with flowers.

"The effect of deception on pollinators was considered negligible, but we show that pollinators May suffer significant costs," Anne Gaskett of Macquarie University in Sydney and his colleagues reported.

"The insect pollinators language Australian orchids (Cryptostylis species) ejaculate often copious and waste sperm," they wrote in a report of The American Naturalist.

It is not safe for Wasps, who suffered May over a disadvantage. "Men prefer pollinators may orchids real women, prematurely terminated a copulation with a real women to visit an orchid, or may not be able to find women among the latter false signals of orchids," wrote researchers .

"Undoubtedly, the production of semen, ejaculate, or seminal fluid is expensive for many animals. The energy demand of sperm production can lead to a reduction in body mass, a life reduced lifespan limited or sperm production, "they added.

But this arms race sexual trickery operates in more than one way of the flower. "We also show that orchid species to cause such extreme behaviour of pollinators have the highest pollination success," they added.

"How can deception persist, given the costs of pollination?"

They discovered that the wasps who attend these flowers are haplodiploid species. Like bees, ants and other species, the offspring produced by sexual unions are women, while females may also produce men asexual.

"Therefore, deprived of insects mating by deception orchid could still produce male offspring, which May or improve pollination of orchids," wrote the researchers.

Ms. Gaskett the team examined the flowers after visiting wasps and found the men not fool finally learn their lesson.

"With experience, men Lissopimpla excelsa wasps are less likely to copulate with pollination and sexually Cryptostylis orchids misleading," they wrote.

Those clever flowers

Flowers were found to have several advantages in their, um, sleeves when it comes to attract pollinators, according to two reports that we spied today.

First, they wave at passing insects to attract their attention (BBC).

John Warren of the University of Aberystwyth have been inspired by watching flowers waving in the wind at his daughter's birthday, and wondered why they risk having their slender stems broken by these movements. Not finding much in the literature, he began to find an answer.

In a study of 300 specially cultivated flowers of different lengths rod-high corrugated flowers attracted more pollinators, they found (Journal of Evolutionary Biology). Unfortunately, history does not say how much it is not mentioned in the summary freely available… if the abstract does add that the insects were moving flowers as long as it was on. (If only Wordsworth knew there was a reason for its host of daffodils "float and dance in the wind" his poem might have been different).

Secondly, researchers have found just how effective orchids may mimic female wasps, as a means to attract men wasps to collect their pollen (Reuters). Not only do they attract boys (which was already known), but they also seem to excite enough to cause ejaculation (the release of "copious sperm" according to the report). Obviously, this is a waste of time and energy for the wasps, but apparently it helps orchids, in a certain way - I think more and more by rigid? "species of orchids cause such extreme behaviour of pollinators have the greatest success of pollination, "they report in The American Naturalist.

Dendrobium chryseum

It is the small family Dai orchids. It grows on rocks and trees from 540 to 2,700 meters above sea level and flowers from April to June.
The plant stem can be used to make medicine.

Dendrobium aphyllum

Dendrobium species of China are among the most tolerant species of orchids in the world. They can grow in full sun, do not have water for half a year, and even tolerate moderate frost. No wonder they are difficult as the cactus.

What else can we expect from Orchids? Of course, beautiful flowers!
Well, there you will not be disappointed at all. Some even excel in structure such as the extraordinary beautiful "bamboo orchid" Dendrobium hancockii that gives you both, the eyes of a bamboo and honey intense fragrance of a flower of gold.

New Study: Flowers Attract Insects with Movement

The flowers are known for attracting insect pollinators, through a variety of means, perfumes and attractive to nectar colors and shapes. According to a new study in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, scientists can now add a mechanism unlikely the list: the movement. Researchers at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales observed coastal 300 flowers, noting stem length, the range of swinging distance, how often and for how long they were visited by insects, and the number seeds were produced in the end.

These flowers with long slender stems proved to be most attractive to insects and produces most of the seeds. Researchers have concluded their proposals to move the most visible among others. There are practical limits, however. These flower stems too terribly long moved to enable insects to make a landing stable and are generally avoided. Similarly, the flowers with shorter stalks are less visited because they were difficult to differentiate from the crowd.

Pollination

Orchids have developed highly specialized systems pollination and therefore likely to be pollinated are often scarce. That is why flowers of orchids are generally very receptive to long periods and why most orchids provide pollen in a single mass, whenever succeeds pollination of thousands of eggs can be fertilized.

Pollinators are often visually attracted by the shape and colors of the labellum. The flowers produce attractive May odors. Although the absence in most species, May nectar produced in a fork (8) labellum, on the verge of sepals or in the septum of the ovary, the most typical position among the Asparagales.

In orchids that produce pollinia, pollination happens as a variant of what follows. When the pollinator entry into the flower, it affects a viscidium, which quickly sticks to his body, usually on the head or abdomen. While leaving the flower, he pulls the pollinium of anthers, as it is connected to the viscidium by the caudicle or stipe. The caudicle then turns and the pollinium is moved forward and down. When pollinators entering a flower of the same species, pollinium took this position it will stick to the stigma of the second flower, just below the rostellum, pollination. Holders of orchids May be able to replicate the process with a pencil or a similar device.
Ophrys apifera is on the verge of self-pollination
Ophrys apifera is on the verge of self-pollination

Some orchids mainly or wholly rely on self-pollination, especially in cold regions where pollinators are particularly scarce. The caudicles May dry up if the flower has not been visited by a pollinator and Pollina then fall directly on the stigma. Otherwise, the anther May turn and then enter the stigma cavity of the flower (as in Holcoglossum amesianum).

The labellum of the Cypripedioideae is shaped pocket and a function of access to trap insects. The only exit led to anther that the deposit pollen on the visitor.

In some orchids very specialized, like the kind Ophrys Eurasian, the labellum is adapted to have a color, shape and odor that attracts insects males mimic a receptive female. The pollination happens as the insect attempts to mate with flowers.

Many neotropical orchids are pollinated by bees male orchid, which visit flowers to collect volatile chemicals they need to synthesize pheromonal attractive. Each type of orchid pollinia place on another part of the body of another species of bee, so as to apply a good cross-pollination.

An underground orchid in Australia, Rhizanthella slateri, ever see the light of day and depends on ants and other insects land for pollination.

Catasetum, a kind briefly discussed Darwin actually launches its viscous pollinia with explosive force when an insect touches a seta.

After pollination sepals and petals wilt and disappear, but they generally remain committed to the ovary.

Flowers "wave" of insects to attract their attention, scientists have discovered.

Flowers "wave" of insects to attract their attention, scientists have discovered. The finding helps explain why many flowers waft in the breeze, and reveals something unknown hitherto used to attract pollinators. The scientists made the discovery by studying wildflowers common known as sea campion on the Welsh coast. Mobile flowers are most often visited by insects and produce more seeds, they report in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

Moving flowers also attract a wider variety of insect species that flowers more static. For years, biologists have known that the flowers use striking colours, perfumes, developed shaped petals and nectar to attract pollinating insects like bees and flies. Yet, nobody had ever seriously considered if wafting in the wind acted as a similar signal.

Seaside inspiration "I was on the beach watching the flowers wave in the wind at my daughter's birthday, and I wondered why they have stems and may have damaged during a presentation of these habitats" said John Warren of the University of Aberystwyth.

He therefore sought that research has already been done, and we found very few answers. "The only reference I found the movement to attract pollinators said it was unlikely to be significant because the insects are not good at detecting movement, which is clearly rubbish." To learn more, Dr. Warren and James Penri experienced colleague on Wednesday Campion (Silene maritima) more and more on an exposed coast in a site of special scientific interest in Cardigan Bay in west Wales.

They observed 300 specially developed flowers of different lengths of stem, recording how much each flower moved the wind, how often it has been visited by insects and for how long and how many seeds it has to produce.

SOKA | Indonesian name: angsoka

Ananicados and sold in large pots, is what this Javanese flowers' luck these days. It's happening since 1990. Before that, SOKA grew in large trees in their own people in the old-fashioned gardens. The other is white color of the flowers.

ÈNCÈNG GÓNDHÓK | Indonesian name: eceng gondok

This thing is growing at lightspeed wherever she tossed, as long as the place of the reservoir. So the Indonesians in general consider it as a danger and pestilential plant, and not anything good until 1990. In 1990, some "experts" in gardening and such - Indonesia never Marty Stuart, thank God, - began a campaign for the plant, as civilized garden element. His violet light (the color of flowers) is beautiful, like transparent watercolor stroke, but this is not why the Central Javanese never complained about this factory choking our waterways, even when Jakartanese same loudly every day. The entire plant, were found beaten and dried and made submissions in the Central Javanese crafts ranging from 1980's.

KANTHIL

There is no Indonesian name for this flower plant. Most Indonesians do not even know it exists, and the Javanese which is an archaic way of life thing that should have belonged to people always maintain skeletons of T-Rex, but it was not live. In good times, this flower has been made in some perfumes by people who work for the Javanese kings. Until 1970's, which was still an ingredient of animistic bid. Now it's just a rare greeny stuff. Needless to say, is not to be found to be sold anywhere in this country.

GANYÓNG | Indonesian name: kana

Some have said this throughout the year, came from the flower Caribbeans. Maybe so, but this has been the ingredient of any Javanese garden since hundreds of years ago, and growing by themselves in rural roads and neglected fields. It is not the venda, either, except in big cities where everything is.

TAPAK DÓRÓ | Indonesian name: tapak dara

The name means' the footsteps of doves'. This shrub has no monetary value in Java, ie not florist sells them, and the plant itself can not be bought anywhere. If you want to grow some in your garden, you have people crawling yards and ask for them the first local to start hunting dogs leave the premises.

Rafflesia, a native of tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra in the Indonesian archipelago

Rafflesia, a native of tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra in the Indonesian archipelago, is the largest flower in the world. Interestingly, Rafflesia is a parasitic plant without leaves, stems and roots (It was only the absorption of nutrients-son to absorb nutrients from the host where she lives), but for most flower. Kingdom Plantae Division Magnoliophyta Class Magnoliopsida Order Rafflesiales Family Rafflesiaceae Genre Rafflesia Species R. arnoldii Rafflesia is a huge five-speckled petals, with a diameter up to 106 cm and weighing up to 10 kg. Rafflesia flower has a small life of 5-7 days. Rafflesias have their stamens and pistils melted together in a central column, producing a crown, or corona, in the form of a ring. The reddish brown colors of petals, are dotted with white freckles. The smell attracts flies and carrion pollination occurs then. After 9 months of maturation, Rafflesia plant opens in a cabbage-sized button. The sexual organs are located under the edge of the disc. Facts on Rafflesia Rafflesia is the largest flowers. Titan arum bears the largest inflorescence. Rafflesia is a parasite that attaches to a plant-host Tetrastigma vine, which grows only in tropical forests intact, to get water and nutrients. The kind Rafflesia is named after adventurer and founder of the British colony of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Dr. Arnold is remembered in the name of the species that Rafflesia arnoldii. Rafflesia flower is the official state of Sabah in Malaysia and for the province of Surat Thani, Thailand. Manillana Rafflesia, the smallest species of the genus Rafflesia is also a 20 cm diameter flowers. Rafflesia flowers are unisexual. Mammals of forests and tree shrews eat fruits Rafflesia which is 15 cm in diameter, filled with good food and thousands of tiny seeds coated drive. He believes that Rafflesia is related to poinsettias, violets, passionflowers, and other members of the order Malpighiales. The smell of rotting of the flower is due to red tentacle-like, ramentae branched, inside the corolla petals. Rafflesia is an endangered or threatened species of the genus. Rafflesia arnoldii does not have chlorophyll, like all green plants have and therefore can not undergo photosynthesis.

Hawaiian flowers are known as some of the most dynamic and pleasant

Hawaiian flowers are known as some of the most dynamic and pleasant flowers on earth. Of all the Hawaiian flowers there, the most attractive and popular are strung on Leis, to be awarded on special occasions. Hawaiian leis are available in many different places.

Obviously, most people know these sets of Hawaiian flowers can be found on the Hawaiian Islands. But the fact is that they can be found in many other places. There are many different groups and businesses that are currently using leis of flowers Hawaiian, even if the company is based somewhere else in the world. Many of these companies have specifically Hawaiian flowers shipped from Hawaii to another anywhere in the world. If this can be a very effective way to collect Hawaiian flowers, there are pitfalls as well.

The biggest problem may occur when the flowers are ordered but not delivered in a timely manner. If they are not delivered on time, there may be big problems when the leis are made because they May not be fresh. If you are interested in making Hawaiian leis of flowers, here are some guidelines. You will need Hawaiian flowers (Dendrobium orchids are a popular choice, but a large number of different flowers can be used), a string, and a long needle lei (these are specially purchased and are usually 3 "4" long):

Step 1: To make a lei of Hawaiian flowers, first hold the flower in a dish of your hands. Insert the needle very carefully the lower part of the flower. Remove the needle on the bottom and the centre.

Step 2: After completing the first step, push the flower down on the needle lei. This process should be repeated until you have something around five or six flowers around the needle. You can have more or less, but five or six is really the best amount of flowers to begin.

Step 3: When Phase 2 is complete, use your free hand and wrap it around the flowers. Remove the needle and then gently pull the thread through each of flowers. This process should be repeated as many times as you need to repeat until the lei is the length it should be. The manufacturing process Hawaiian leis is fairly simple, but it does require a good bit of skill and practice to examine the net leis and tidy, without destroying the flowers. Depending on where you live, May be offered courses that teach people how to make Hawaiian leis.

Of course, the best way to learn how to make Hawaiian leis of flowers is to follow a course offered by someone who did it. Often, Hawaii vacationers can find courses on the development of lei. If you do not find a class to take, there are also illustrated books available to help those who want to learn more about the lei-making process. At leis with Hawaiian flowers, many people are beginning to have a better appreciation for the beauty of these flowers.

Anne Clarke wrote numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion and interior decoration. His background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For most of its useful articles on the tropical flowers, please visit exotic flowers, high-quality tropical and exotic flowers and flowers