Yellow Flowers of Uncarina sp. (peltata ?), Pedaliaceae, Growing in Dry Forest, Zombitse Vohibasia National Park, Madagascar.
Yellow Flowers of Uncarina sp. (peltata ?), Pedaliaceae, Growing in Dry Forest, Zombitse Vohibasia National Park, Between Ranohira and Toliara, Madagascar, Africa. Syn. Harpagophytum peltatum. Pedaliaceae (pedalium family or sesame family). Possibly U. peltata or U. decaryi or U. grandidieri or U. roeoesliana. An interesting feature of this genus is its pollination strategy. Although the sexual parts of the flowers are apparently normal, the anthers never shed pollen. If one tries to pollinate the flowers of an Uncarina, the usual method of using a small brush to transfer pollen doesn't work. There are several families of pollen eating beetles. Beetles are not as skilful fliers as are bees, moths, etc., therefore they need a good landing platform so they can feed without flying. The corolla limb of Uncarina is a perfect landing platform. Some even have nice "runway" markings such as stripes and dark floral tube markings. Remember that these flowers are oriented horizontally. The stigma has two lobes, one upright and one hanging down into the tube, partially blocking ingress. The beetle pushes past this stigma lobe to get to the anthers. Each anther has a lobe that hangs down into the floral tube. The beetle begins feeding on this lobe. As it bites into the lobe a slit pore above the lobe opens and pollen the consistency of toothpaste is deposited on the head and thorax of the beetle. When the beetle exits the flower the stigma lobe offers no resistance. As the beetle enters another flower and pushes past the lower stigma lobe the upper stigma lobe is moved down on top of the beetle and scrapes the pollen off.
Size: 4848px × 3414px
Location: Madagascar
Photo credit: © Florapix / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, beetles, botanical, botany, corolla, decaryi, dry, eating, family, flora, florapix, flower, flowers, forest, grandidieri, green, growing, harpagophytum, inflorescence, landing, leaf, leaves, madagascar, national, natural, nature, park, pedaliaceae, pedalium, peltata, peltatum, plant, plants, platform, pollen, pollination, ranohira, roeoesliana, sesame, strategy, toliara, uncarina, vohibasia, yellow, zombitse
