Question

Insect pollinated flowers usually possess
A) Sticky pollen with a rough surface.
B) Large quantities of pollen.
C) Brightly coloured pollen.
D) Dry pollen with a smooth surface.

Answer 1

Pollination is the process of reproduction which involves the transfer of pollen grains from the male reproductive part, the anther to female reproductive part the stigma mainly with the help of animals or wind.

Complete answer:
Let us go through the options carefully,
A) Flowers with sticky pollen with a rough surface is perfect for insect pollination as the insects get stuck on the rough, sticky surface and these flowers usually have rich nectar as well. This option fits perfectly with our question and is the correct option.
B) Large quantities of pollen is not necessarily ideal and specific for insect pollination as many of these pollens may get transferred by the wind as well. Since, this is a vague option it is not correct.
C) Brightly colored pollen in a particular flower again may not be limited to insects only but other animals as well. It might be a characteristic for insect pollinated flowers but it's again not specific enough to be considered as a correct option. Therefore, C is incorrect.
D) Flowers with dry pollen and a smooth surface is completely opposite to that of option A and the insects would not get stuck on their surface which would then not lead to insect pollination. So this particular option is completely incorrect for an insect pollinated flower.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’

Note: The main two types of pollination are self pollination- where the transfer of pollen grains take place from the anther to the stigma of the same flower or another flower of the same plant and cross pollination- where the transfer of pollen grains take place from anther of one plant flower to the stigma of another different plant.