Flowers Evolving to Protect Pollen
Scientists in China have discovered that the raindrop might have played a far more important role in the evolution of the flower than we can imagine.
Research showed that among nearly 80 different species of flowers, many of the shapes and structures developed to keep pollen from getting wet, whereas other types of flowers solved the problem by developing pollen resistant to water.
Many flowers rainy areas either have droopy petals or close them when it rains, which may be a result of this kind of evolution.
Though researchers like Darwin had some idea of this kind of evolution, there was no conclusive research done in this area until now.
One of the researcher at Shuang-Quan Huang of Wuhan University says, “Animals as well as ourselves like to be sheltered when it rains. We were wondering how flowers reduce rain effects on pollen grains given that plants are immobile.”
[Via: BBC]
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