Pollination syndromes

Pollination syndromes [ Botany ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names


	Special floral characteristics associated with pollination by various biotic or abiotic means, (pollinator) e.g., pollination by insects, pollination by animals, pollination by wind or pollination by water.

For examples species evolved to attract humming birds and other avian pollinators have often long tubular red flowers, night-flowering species specialised to attract bats have flowers with foetid fleshy blooms, and night flowering species that are pollinated by moths have frequently large white strongly-perfumed flowers.

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994