Question

Which of the following is a characteristic of ornithophily?
A. Scented flowers
B. Bright red coloured flowers and inflorescence
C. White coloured funnel shaped large corolla
D. Yellow flower with nectaries at the base of the corolla tube

Answer 1

Hint: Ornithophily is the pollination of flowering plants by birds. Birds are usually attracted towards the flower which is bright coloured and has ample nectar which helps in pollination. Plants are adapted for bird’s pollination. Most bird pollinated flowers are red and have a lot of nectar, also they are unscented.

Complete answer:
As mentioned above bird pollination or ornithology is the pollination of flowering plants. Birds are attracted towards flowers which are appealing in terms of colour and shape, ornithophily involves both birds as well as plant adaptation to make work. Nectar feeding birds have ability in excreting excess water, hummingbird is famous for bird pollination and it has ability to digest sucrose whereas starling species and their relatives completely avoid sucrose. Flowers with general bird pollinators have dilute nectar whereas that flowering plant which has specific bird pollinators such as hummingbirds tends to have more concentrated nectar. For this purpose flowers are modified and their petals surround the reproductive parts of the flower, mostly in bright colour as mentioned above and shaped unusually to attract pollinators, all petals of flower forms corolla in some it is in tube shape.

Thus the correct answer is (D) Yellow flower with nectaries at the base of the corolla tube.

Note: Nectaries are specifically designed structures of the flowers which tend to produce the nectar, the solution of one or more sugar and other compounds which act as reward for the pollinators to be attracted towards that flower. It may be in a padlike appearance or floral disk which provides space for pollinators to sit on and suck the nectar.