Insect-Pollinated Flowers:
The insect-pollinated flowers are variously adapted to attract insects as pollinators. In Insect Pollinated Flowers, the principal adaptations are color, nectar, and scent with some special devices in the organization of the flowers.
Example: Crotalaria, Sunflower, Salvia, Bougainvillea, etc.
Characteristics of Insect Pollinated Flowers:
1. The flowers are brightly colored and showy to attract insects. The colored corollas, sepals, bracts, etc serve as an ‘advertisement flag‘ to attract insects.
2. The anthers are large and swollen. The filament is basifixed or dorsifixed helping easy adherence of pollen to the back of insects.
3. The honey glands or nectar glands occurring at the base of the floral parts secrete sweet tasty fluid.
4. Nocturnal flowers emit, at night, a sweet scent to attract insects such as Jasmine, Rangoon creeper, etc.
5. The pollen grains are large with a rough sticky surfaces so that they may stick easily to the body of an insect.
6. Pollen grains are sweet to taste. The insects visit the flowers for the sweet-tasted pollen grains.
7. The surface of the stigma is rough and sticky so that the pollens may adhere firmly.
8. The flowers may have special shapes to make it easy for the insect to visit, such as Crotolaria.