Anemophily ( Wind Pollination )

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REPRODUCTION IN FLOWERING PLANT

Anemophily ( Wind Pollination )

Anemophily ( Gk . anemos - wind , philein to love : Wind Pollination)

•  It is a mode of cross pollination or transfer of pollen grains from a mature anther to the stigma of a pistil which is accomplished through the agency of wind , e.g .. Coconut Palm , Date Palm , Maize , many grasses . Cannabis .

• Characteristics of Anemophilous Flowers

• Flowers are small and inconspicuous . 
• Non - essential parts are either absent or reduced . 
• The flowers are colourless , odourless and nectarless . 
• In case of unisexual flowers , the male flowers are more abundant . In bisexual flowers , the stamens are generally numerous . Pistil are generally uniovuled . 
• Flowers are produced above the foliage , before the appearance of new foliage or placed in hanging position . 
• Both the stigmas and anthers are exserted . 
• Anthers are versatile 

• In some cases like Urtica , the anthers burst suddenly to throw the pollen grains tis ) Pollen grains are light , small and winged or dusty . They can be blown by wind to ( gun - powder mechanism)
• Pollen grains are light , small and winged or dusty . They can be blown by wind to distances of up to 1300 km . Winged pollen grains of Pinus are found hundreds of kilometers away from the parent plants . 
• Pollen grains are dry smooth nonsticky and unwettable . 
• Stigma is hairy , feathery or branched to catch the wind - bome pollen grains The large thread - like stigmas and styles of cob of Maize hang in air to catch wind borne pollens . 
• Anemophily is highly wasteful as it is nondirectional . 
• Pollen grains are produced in very large number . For example , a single Power of Cannabis produces 5,00,000 pollen grains , a tassel of Maize gives rise to 20-25 million pollen grains while a plant of Mercurialis annua produces 135 million pollen grains . Consequently , the pollen grains spread over large tracts so that even isolated plants get pollinated . But the large number of the pollen grains cause bronchial allergy or depression in many human beings . The phenomenon is also called hay fever .

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