Question

Wind pollinated flowers are
A. Small, scented and colourless
B. Small, non-scented and colourless
C. Big, scented and coloured
D. Big, non-scented and colourless.

Answer 1

Hint: The process of transfer of pollen grains from anther to stigma of a flower is called pollination. It is mediated most often by animals or wind. There are other methods for pollination as well. Let us know a little more about pollination and its types to find the correct answer.

Complete answer:
let us first know about pollination and the various possible means to achieve pollination-
As stated above, pollination is the transfer of pollen from male part of a plant to the female part of the same or another plant. It later enables fertilisation and induces seed formation. There are many agents for pollination. Let us look at some of them-
> Biotic pollination- it relies on living pollinators for the transfer of pollen from male part or the anther to stigma.
> Abiotic pollination- it relies on biotic agents such as wind, water, rain,etc.
> By wind- pollination by wind is called anemophily and about 98 percent of abiotic pollination is achieved by wind. Anemophilous flowers are generally inconspicuous and small. They also don’t possess scent nor they produce nectar. The stamens generally protrude out of the flower.
> By water- pollination achieved by water is known as hydrophily. These flowers are also inconspicuous and small. Unwettable perianth and other floral parts form the characteristic features of these flowers. Due to the presence of mucilage cover, pollen grains are light and unwettable.
> By rain- small percentage of plants use rain as pollinating agents. In these plants, excessive rain drains and allows the floating pollen to contact stigma.

Based on the above description, it is clear that the correct answer is (B)- small, non-scented and colourless.

Note:
Based on the environmental conditions, a plant can adapt to varying methods of pollination, including both biotic and abiotic methods.
> Cross-pollination and self-pollination are the two ways in which pollination can be accomplished.
> Cross-pollination is the transfer of pollen from stamen of one flower to stigma of flower which is on another plant of the same species, whereas self-pollination is the phenomenon wherein pollen from stamen are either transferred to stigma of same flower or to another flower of the same plant.