Pollen-presenter
Encyclopedia
A pollen-presenter is an area on the tip of the pistil in flowers of plants of the family Proteaceae
. In this family, the anthers are difficult of access for potential pollination vectors such as bees, birds and nectariferous mammals.
To ensure pollination, anthers release their pollen onto the pollen-presenter prior to anthesis
. After anthesis, the style sticks out prominently, ensuring the distribution of pollin. The systematic depositing of pollen on the tip of the style means the plants must have some strategy to avoid excessive self-pollination.
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
. In this family, the anthers are difficult of access for potential pollination vectors such as bees, birds and nectariferous mammals.
To ensure pollination, anthers release their pollen onto the pollen-presenter prior to anthesis
Anthesis
Anthesis is the period during which a flower is fully open and functional. It may also refer to the onset of that period.The onset of anthesis is spectacular in some species. In Banksia species, for example, anthesis involves the extension of the style far beyond the upper perianth parts...
. After anthesis, the style sticks out prominently, ensuring the distribution of pollin. The systematic depositing of pollen on the tip of the style means the plants must have some strategy to avoid excessive self-pollination.