|University of Wisconsin-Madison | Plant Growth Facilities |
Botany Greenhouse
The Agents of Evolution - Pollination Syndromes - BeetleBeetle pollination (Cantharophily)
Bat, Bee, Beetle, Bird, Butterfly, Fly, Moth, Snail&Slug, Water and Wind A number of modern species of angiosperms are pollinated solely or chiefly by beetles. The flowers of one distinct type are large and borne singly, like those of the magnolia, the lily, the California poppy, and the wild rose. The flowers of another type are small and aggregated in an inflorescence, such as the dogwood, elder, and spiraea. Members of some 16 families of beetles are frequent visitors to flowers, as a rule, they derive most of their nourishment from other sources, such as sap, fruit, dung, and carrion. In beetles, the sense of smell is much more highly developed than the visual sense, and beetle flowers are often white or dull in color and frequently have strong odors. These odors are usually fruity, spicy, or similar to the foul odors of fermentation and thus are distinct from the sweeter odors of flowers pollinated by bees, moths, and butterflies. Some beetle flowers secrete nectar. In others, the beetle chew directly on the petals or specialized food bodies (pads or clusters of cells on the surfaces of various flower parts), along with eating the pollen. Most beetle flowers have the ovules well buried beneath the floral chamber, out of reach of the chewing jaws of the beetles.
Current Accessions:
· Annona spp. -Custard Apple - {Annonaceae}
· Nymphaea spp. -Water lily - {Nymphaeaceae}
