Pick the Pollinator
PRINTABLE QUESTIONS PAGE
Flowering
plants represent about one-sixth of all Earth's known living life-forms and are
important to the survival of most other species. But how did these immobile
organisms manage to spread so far? One answer is pollination, or plant sexual
reproduction. Pollinators—typically wind, water, and animals—carry
pollen from one flower to another, where fertilization takes place. Below,
match seven plants with their pollinators and, when you're done, check our
answers page and learn some of the reasons why flowering plants have come to
dominate the botanical world.—Rima Chaddha
For more information on flowering plants and how they work, check out Flowers Modern & Ancient.
INSTRUCTIONS
After you print this page out, match the pollinators shown above with the
plants they pollinate (below). Note there is only one correct choice for each
plant. Write your answers in the space provided.
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Hardy fuchsia
Attracted to the fuchsia's bright red sepals and purple petals, this pollinator
can visit hundreds of flowers each day, making it very important to the plant's
reproductive cycle. Fuchsia flowers hang downward and serve as an ideal food
source for this pollinator by offering great quantities of nectar.
Hint: While most pollinating insects are blind to the color red, this organism sees red objects particularly well.
Answer: ____________________________
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Canada goldenrod
With its bright yellow petals, abundant nectar, and protein-rich pollen,
goldenrod attracts a variety of pollinators, including one of the above. This
organism is equipped with "pollen baskets" on its hind legs, and it uses the
goldenrod's nectar to create a sweet, viscous liquid often prized in folk
medicine as an antiseptic agent.
Hint: Farmers often utilize this easily bred organism in pollinating
commercial crops such as almonds.
Answer: ____________________________
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Comet orchid
Nicknamed for its appearance, the comet orchid has a milky white flower and a
long "tail" consisting of a spur that holds the flower's nectar. While
scentless by day, the orchid flower becomes fragrant at night, attracting this
nocturnal pollinator.
Hint: Only a very specialized pollinator can reach this flower's
nectar.
Answer: ____________________________
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Common blue violet
The common blue violet has a variety of insect pollinators, but there is one
other species that helps the plant procreate and even stretch beyond the
insects' usual habitats.
Hint: The open "bud" pictured here is more important than you might
think. What's going on here?
Answer: ____________________________
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Wild celery
Despite its name, wild celery bears little resemblance to the leafy vegetable
you buy at the grocery store. In fact, while the celery we eat depends upon
insects for pollination, wild celery takes an entirely different approach to
reproduction: it utilizes its natural habitat to scatter its pollen.
Hint: Wild celery is a natural food source for many animals, including
the canvasback diving duck.
Answer: ____________________________
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Sumatran corpse flower
Standing at up to 20 feet tall and stretching 16 feet across, the Sumatran
corpse flower is easy for most pollinators to spot, but the plant's scent is
what draws these organisms in. The corpse flower's "perfume" is so important in
attracting pollinators that the plant will even chemically heat up to about
human body temperature in order to help release its scent.
Hint: The corpse flower's perfume is said to resemble the odor of
rotting flesh, hence its name.
Answer: ____________________________
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African baobab
These sweetly scented, light-colored flowers bloom in the late afternoon and
evening, just in time to attract this nocturnal pollinator. As with the
fuchsia, the baobab's flowers hang downward and are shaped to fit the
pollinator's facial structure.
Hint: This beakless pollinator uses its tongue to probe the flower for
nectar.
Answer: ____________________________
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Answers
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We recommend you visit the interactive version. The text to the left is provided for printing purposes.
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Created March 2007
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