Flower Anatomy
Streptocarpus flowers are five-lobed, salverform, zygomorphic tubes. The diagram at the right shows a labelled drawing of a vertical cross-section along the length of a Streptocarpus flower.
It is important to note that the two anthers (each arising from one filament on each side of the flower), are loosely joined together. As the anthers mature, they open slightly and act like a pepper shaker, which means that not all the pollen is released at once.
Streptocarpus flowers have evolved to be pollinated by birds, long-tongued flies, butterflies and probably long-tongued moths and bees. Although, almost any small insect, animal, or breeze could potentially pollinate Streptocarpus. Streptocarpus flowers often have nectar guidelines that guide would-be pollinators to the nectar (and anthers and stigmas). Self pollination is also common.
Read more about this topic: Streptocarpus
Famous quotes containing the words flower and/or anatomy:
“Well, if it isn’t Aurora Ratchett, goddess of the dawn, a sight for sore eyes.... I always think of Ebenezer Pritchett, the day he led that last charge at Shiloh. There was a gallant trooper, your father. You know, there went a man of quality. There went the flower of the South.”
—Laurence Stallings (1894–1968)
“Man is a shrewd inventor, and is ever taking the hint of a new machine from his own structure, adapting some secret of his own anatomy in iron, wood, and leather, to some required function in the work of the world.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)