Life Science Encyclopedia

Target:
Operation:
Search for:

Overview Complete alphabetical index  
Pollinium

Pollinium, or plural pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains.

They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in various plants, such as orchids and many species of milkweeds (Asclepiadoideae).

Most orchids have waxy pollinia. These are connected to one or two elongate stipes, which in turn are attached to the sticky viscidium.

Some orchid genera have mealy pollinia. These are tapering into a caudicle (stalk), attached to the viscidium. They extend into the middle section of the column.

The combination of pollinia, caudicles, stipes and viscidium form the pollinarium.

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pollinium". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
MyBionity.COM
Newsletter Subscription
Your e-mail:
Top  
© 2001-2009 Chemie.DE Information Service GmbH
a Life Science Network Division

 www.Chemie.DE   www.Bionity.COM   www.ChemEurope.COM   www.ChemieKarriere.NET   www.BioKarriere.NET