Question

In salvia, the pollination is affected by
A) Water
B) Air
C) Animals
D) Insects

Answer 1

Salvia has a special pollination mechanism where it is directly dependent on living organisms for pollination to take place.

Complete answer:
In salvia, pollination is carried out through insects that show insect pollination mechanisms. Salvia needs insects to reproduce as insects are carriers of pollen grains. In the salvia lever mechanism or turn, the pipe mechanism is seen. In salvia, the flower has 2 big petals which form a structure like an open mouth. Below petals, there are long stamens. Salvia is a protandrous flower which means androecium matures first and after that gynoecium matures. Salvia plant gives nectar as a reward in exchange for pollen grains. As the insect enters the flower there are internal lobes present in the flower. If this internal lobe is pushed then stamens would fall on the back of the insect and leave pollen grains on the back of the insect. This is the lever mechanism characteristic feature of salvia. When the insect with pollen enters another flower for the nectar who has matured gynoecium, the stigma of the flower collects the pollen grains.
So, the pollination of salvia is dependent on insects. There is a direct relationship between the number of insects and the pollination rate of salvia.
So, the answer is ‘In salvia, the pollination is affected by insects’.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from stamen to stigma. There are various ways through which pollination occurs in plants like air, water, insects, etc.