|University of Wisconsin-Madison | Plant Growth Facilities |
Botany Greenhouse
The Agents of Evolution - Pollination Syndromes - WaterWater pollination (Hydrophily)
Bat, Bee, Beetle, Bird, Butterfly, Fly, Moth, Snail&Slug, Water and Wind
Most water-pollinated plants are hydrophyllous (aquatic). Their flowers are usually small and inconspicuous and produce many pollen grains. Their stigmas are often feathery and large in order to be able to catch the pollen. Vallisneria americana, has a boat-like staminate flowers that break off from the plant and float on the water surface. The pistillate flowers open on the surface of the water and eventually captures the staminate flowers.
In some species, such as Black Pepper, raindrops transfer the pollen grain to receptive stigmas.
There are limited water-pollinated plants, where pollination is less frequent under the water compared to the surface.
