Making Seed

It seems that the prime directive for all living things is to establish the next generation.  We have worked with Pinxter bushes for years but have never witnessed their interactions with a pollinator.  That all changed yesterday.  While working in close proximity to these delightfully scented beautiful flowers, a bumble bee appeared and spent several minutes interacting with the flowers.  Their sexual parts are brazenly displayed with five pollen producing anthers.  The single longer stigma is visibly moist ready to grab and hold pollen.  The bumble bee is huge by comparison and the exchange of sexual cells was accomplished while airborne.  Occasional contact with the flower petals sent everything rocking.

In the upper left corner a single wilted blossom can be seen dangling from the long filaments and single style.  Investigation revealed that the filaments came away with the falling flower.  Only the style remained firmly attached to the ovary.  It seems likely that the pollinating bumble bee dislodged this blossom.  Since the flower petals play no part in fertilization, a seed capsule may develop here.  These flowers have been open for only two days and the business of creating the next generation has been completed.  The beauty and scent of these amazing flowers is mine to enjoy alone since the work of the bees has been done.

Arbutus had an unusual year here.  Some flowers opened early while an occasional late flower can still be found.  Two developing seed clusters are visible near the center of the picture.  When the seeds are mature the five green outer layers will peel back revealing a white berry covered with tiny black seeds.  Ants find the white substance sweet to eat and they carry pieces of it back to their nest.  The seeds are cast aside as ants feast on the white berry.  We have been tempted to try a taste but so far have resisted.

These recently purchased Bloodroot plants were displaying their seed pods when purchased.  Rows of seeds line the inside of the cylindrical seed pods.  Each seed carries a elaiosome whose function is to attract ants.  The tasty substance is eaten as the ants cast aside the seed.  A difficulty with this system of seed dispersal is that all of the seeds are dropped near the parent plant.  A tight cluster of plants will follow making Bloodroot a civilized garden specimen.  The background rock was set at an angle to divert rainwater to the area where these moisture loving plants were intended to grow.  Ants keeping the seeds close by fits perfectly with our plans.