pollinia

Different scents draw the flies to the right location to pick up the pollen, which is bundled into grains called pollinia.

Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

Different scents draw the flies to the right location to pick up the pollen, which is bundled into grains called pollinia.

Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

The heavy, sticky nature of orchids' "pollinia" has significant evolutionary consequences.

Archive 2006-08-01 2006

The heavy, sticky nature of orchids' "pollinia" has significant evolutionary consequences.

Ophrys 2006

The pollen spores are usually aggregated into two or four waxy masses ( "pollinia," sing. pollinium), which usually can only be removed by the agency of insects upon which all but a very few orchids are absolutely dependent for the pollination of the flowers.

Elements of Structural and Systematic Botany For High Schools and Elementary College Courses Douglas Houghton Campbell

This time, however, as the bee struggles through the hole in the bucket, the pollinia are scraped off, and they fertilize the stigma of this second orchid.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

When they move on to try to sting another spider orchid, the pollinia are transferred.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

While he is held in their grip, they glue two pollinia to his back.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

In the process they pick up pollinia – masses of pollen grains produced by the orchids.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009

The pollinia are dislodged and stick to the wasp, who eventually extricates himself and flies off, sadder but apparently no wiser: he goes on to repeat the performance on another hammer orchid, where he and the pollinia he bears are duly dashed against the anvil, so that his cargo finds its destined refuge on the female organs of the flower.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH RICHARD DAWKINS 2009