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Pollination and Flower Structure

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

Bidirectional flower color and shape changes allow a second opportunity for pollination.

Pat Willmer¹, Dara A Stanley, Karin Steijven

¹School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, Scotland, UK. pgw@st-and.ac.uk

Current Biology : CB

|May 5, 2009

Summary

Desmodium setigerum flowers uniquely reverse color and shape changes after insufficient pollination. This "second chance" mechanism re-exposes reproductive parts to attract more pollinators for successful fertilization.

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Establishing Pollination Requirements in Japanese Plum by Phenological Monitoring, Hand Pollinations, Fluorescence Microscopy and Molecular Genotyping

Establishing Pollination Requirements in Japanese Plum by Phenological Monitoring, Hand Pollinations, Fluorescence Microscopy and Molecular Genotyping

Published on: November 9, 2020

Area of Science:

Botany
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Flowers use sensory signals like color and shape to attract pollinators.
Floral signal changes often indicate pollination has occurred, influencing pollinator foraging.
Some plants retain aged flowers to maintain display size, signaling unpollinated resources.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the unique floral signaling reversal in Desmodium setigerum.
To understand the adaptive significance of reversed floral signals in response to pollination inadequacy.

Main Methods:

Observational studies on Desmodium setigerum pollination events.
Analysis of floral color and morphological changes post-pollination.
Assessment of pollen receipt and its correlation with signal reversal.

Main Results:

Bee visits trigger rapid color change (lilac to white/turquoise) and morphological changes.
Insufficient pollen receipt causes flowers to reopen, re-exposing the stigma.
Reversed signals involve further color shifts (deeper turquoise/lilac) and partial reopening.

Conclusions:

Desmodium setigerum exhibits a unique reversal of floral signals when pollination is inadequate.
This reversal provides a "second chance" for pollination by re-attracting pollinators.
The mechanism enhances reproductive success in plants with potentially inefficient pollination events.