Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Orchid pods in abundance: Mitchell outback Qld





For the first time in five years our bush orchid (Cymbidium caniculatum) has produced lots of pods -- evidence of the successful pollination of the orchid flowers.

The reason is due, I believe, to the small native bees I saw busy within individual flowers. Other years I've seen a variety of insects hovering around the blooms, but never native bees.

I've read that every species of orchid is pollinated by a particular insect; that they have co-evolved in this unique way.

Now I watch the developing pods (around 80) and marvel at the production of seed so dependent on one insect and an astonishingly complex orchid flower.

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