Sexual Reproduction In Flowering Plants

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Wind-pollinated grasses typically produce enormous quantities of pollen compared with insect-pollinated species growing in the same habitat.

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

Pollination strategies are shaped by the agent that carries pollen, as explained in NCERT Class 12, Chapter 2 (Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants). Wind, or anemophily, is a non-directional and wasteful carrier, so most pollen released into the air never lands on a compatible stigma. To compensate for this large wastage, wind-pollinated plants such as grasses produce pollen in extremely large quantities, raising the probability that at least some grains reach the female parts. The claim that their pollen is heavy is incorrect, because wind-dispersed pollen is in fact light and often non-sticky to remain airborne. Attracting insects is wrong because wind-pollinated flowers are usually small, dull and lack nectar, since they do not depend on animal visitors. Small dry stigmas do occur but feathery, exposed stigmas catch airborne pollen, so this option does not explain pollen abundance. A reasoning check confirms the answer: a random, lossy transport mechanism logically demands overproduction to ensure successful pollination.

Sexual Reproduction In Flowering Plants

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