Types of Pollination
A quick, bullet-style guide for students and curious minds.
Pollination (Quick Definition)
- Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma.
- Enables fertilization → fruits & seeds.
🌱 Self-Pollination
- Pollen moves within the same plant.
- Autogamy: same flower.
- Geitonogamy: different flowers on same plant.
- Low genetic variation; reliable when pollinators are scarce.
🌸 Cross-Pollination
- Pollen moves between different plants.
- Needs external agents (abiotic or biotic).
- Higher genetic diversity & adaptability.
🛠️ Agents (Examples)
- Abiotic: wind (anemophily), water (hydrophily).
- Biotic: insects, birds, bats, snails/slugs, ants.
🔹 Abiotic Examples
- Anemophily (wind): palm, bamboo, coconut, Typha.
- Hydrophily (water): Vallisneria, Ruppia, Zostera.
🔹 Biotic Examples
- Entomophily (insects): Salvia, Yucca (moth), Aristolochia.
- Ornithophily (birds): Bombax, Bauhinia (hummingbirds).
- Chiropterophily (bats): Kigelia.
- Malacophily (snails/slugs): aroids; Malmacophily e.g., Aspidistra.
- Myrmecophily (ants): Acacia, Rubiaceae (some spp.).
🌍 Why Pollination Matters
- Drives crop yields & global food security.
- Maintains plant biodiversity & resilience.
- Supports ecosystems and wildlife diets.