Pollination and Flowering - Vocabulary Flashcards

Key terms and definitions related to pollination modes, pollinator relationships, flowering controls, and flowering pathways.

Pollination

The process by which pollen is transferred to a stigma, enabling fertilization.

Self-pollination

Pollen transferred from the anther to the stigma of the same flower.

Cross-pollination (Outcrossing)

Pollen transferred from the anther of one flower to the stigma of a flower on a different plant.

Stigma

The receptive part of the pistil where pollen lands.

Anther

The pollen-producing part of a stamen.

Coevolution

Mutual evolutionary influence between flowers and their pollinators, leading to specialized relationships.

Mutualistic relationship (pollination)

A symbiotic interaction where both flowers and pollinators benefit.

Bee pollination

Pollination primarily performed by bees; bees favor yellow or blue flowers with a bull’s-eye landing pattern.

Bull’s-eye/landing strip pattern

A contrasting pattern on flowers that helps bees locate nectar.

Moth-pollinated flowers

Flowers adapted for moth pollination; typically pale/white, nocturnal, and heavily scented.

Butterfly pollination

Pollination by butterflies; butterflies are attracted to colorful

Hummingbird-pollinated flowers

Red, tubular flowers that match hummingbird beaks and produce large amounts of nectar.

Bat-pollinated flowers

Flowers that open at night, rely on echolocation, often pale/white, with strong scent.

Self-pollination advantages

Selfing is favored in stable environments and can produce uniform offspring.

Dioecious plants

Plants in which male and female flowers occur on separate plants.

Monoecious plants

Plants that have both male and female flowers on the same plant.

Dichogamy

Temporal separation of male and female flower functions to reduce self-pollination.

Self-incompatibility

A genetic mechanism that prevents self-fertilization by blocking pollen tube growth when pollen and pistil are related.

Pollen-stigma recognition

Recognition of related pollen preventing fertilization to avoid selfing.

Pollen tube growth arrest

Blockade of pollen tube growth prior to fertilization as a self-pollination barrier.

Flowering cues

Signals such as light, temperature, hormones, or other cues that trigger flowering.

Light cue (photoperiod)

Flowering timing influenced by the length of day and night.

Chilling cue (vernalization)

A period of cold exposure required to induce flowering in some species.

Hormonal cue

Plant hormones influence the timing of flowering.

Floral promoters

Substances or signals that promote flowering.

Floral inhibitors

Substances or signals that delay or prevent flowering.

Gibberellin-dependent pathway

A flowering pathway controlled by the plant hormone gibberellin that promotes flowering.

Light-dependent pathway

A flowering pathway controlled by photoperiod (day length).

Temperature-dependent pathway

A flowering pathway controlled by ambient temperature.

Autonomous pathway

A day-neutral flowering pathway; plants count internal cues (e.g., nodes) to flower.

Node

The stem point where a leaf attaches; used in autonomous flowering to gauge growth.

Day-neutral plants

Plants that flower regardless of photoperiod (e.g., tobacco).

Short-day plants

Plants that flower when days are shorter than a critical length.

Long-day plants

Plants that flower when days are longer than a critical length.

Vernalization

Prolonged cold exposure required to trigger flowering in some species.

Four flowering pathways (summary)

The four genetically regulated pathways: light-dependent, temperature-dependent, gibberellin-dependent, and autonomous.

Node counting

A mechanism in autonomous flowering where the plant monitors node formation before flowering.