Question

Explain how some plants are adapted for achieving pollination through wind. How do sea grasses and Vallisneria achieve pollination?

Answer 1

Pollination is the process of extracting pollen grains from the male component of a flower, the anther, and transferring them to the female part of the flower, the stigma. Pollen grains must be transported from the same species of flower in order for pollination to be successful.
Anemophily, often known as wind pollination, is a type of pollination in which pollen is carried by the wind. Many Poales plants, such as grasses, sedges, and rushes, as well as practically all gymnosperms, are anemophilous.

Complete explanation:
1. Anemophily is the term for pollination carried out by the wind. Plants that are pollinated by the wind do not invest in resources that attract pollinators, like nectar and fragrance. Instead, they create dry pollen grains that are very small in size and in huge quantities, allowing them to be easily blown by the wind. Female structures on wind-pollinated plants have evolved to collect pollen in the air as it passes by.
2. Pollination in Vallisneria is accomplished through hydrophily. The female flowers of Vallisneria reach the water's surface through a long stalk, while the male flowers, or pollen grains, are released on the surface. They are conveyed by water currents in a passive manner, and some of them eventually reach the female flowers and stigma.
3. Female blooms in seagrasses are submerged in water, and pollen grains are released into the water. Female flowers remain immersed in water and pollen grains are dispersed inside the water inseagrasses, for example, are a type of water-pollinated plant. Many of these species' pollen grains are long, ribbon-like, and are carried passively inside the water; some of them reach the stigma and pollinate it. Pollen grains in most water-pollinated species are protected from moisture by a mucilaginous coating.

Note:
Adaptation to pollination in anemophilous flowers.
i. Relatively tiny and unappealing.
ii. To assure fertilisation, anthers produce a huge number of pollen grains.
iii. Flowers do not produce nectar or fragrance.
iv. Create anthers with long filaments, allowing the anther to emerge from the flower and be exposed to the breeze.
v. The stigma is big and has a feathery surface that allows pollen grains to fall into the air.
vi. Pollen grains are light, dry, and some have wings, making them easily carried by the wind.