Pollinators-Clivia

__ CLIVIA MINIATA __ by: Beatrice, Chris, Evan & Joshua



//**Genus:** Monocot flowering plants// //**Native to:** Southern Africa// //**Botanic Name:** Clivia miniata// //**Common Name:** Kaffir lily or Bush lily//

**Functions:**
//Petals -// Large and colourful and in this case scented in order to attract pollinators such as small birds (as flowers reddish in colour tend to attract birds) and insects to the plant. //Receptacle -// base of the flower containing the floral organs such as the ovule, it is part of the stem.

Male Reproductive parts: //Stamen -// consists of the //anther// and //filaments// and is responsible for the production of pollen. //Anther -// part of the //stamen// where pollen is present. //Filament -// Stalk of the //stamen// which holds up the //anther.// //Pollen -// Male gametes of the flower needed for fertilization.

Female Reproductive parts: //Carpel -// Consists of the //stigma, style// and ovary. //Style -// Carpel stalk between the //stigma// and //ovary// through which the pollen tube grows. //Stigma -// sticky part at the top of the carpel held up by the style which acts as the part that receives pollen. //Ovary -// Enlarged base of the //carpel// which holds the //ovule,// matures into fruit. //Ovules -// Located within the //ovary// and contains the female gametes of the flower needed for fertilization to produce seeds.


 * **Character** || **Mean (cm)** ||
 * Stigma Length || 6.2 ||
 * Petal Length || 8.13 ||
 * Flower Length || 9.9 ||
 * Anther Length || 4.85 ||
 * Minimum difference of distance between male and female reproductive parts || 0.625 ||
 * Maximum difference of distance between male and female reproductive parts || 2.25 ||
 * Number of petals || 6 ||
 * Number of anther || 6 ||

= =

**Pollen**
Pollen taken from a single anther of the Clivia was prepared onto a slide and viewed under a microscope. The images captured from the microscope reveal that each anther of the Clivia had a high pollen carrying capacity. This concentrated amount of pollen on each anther corresponds to the observed number of anther per flower (six anthers in one flower) as the small amount of anthers requires a large amount of pollen to hence be present in contrast to a flower possessing more anthers but each with a smaller pollen holding capacity.



**Pollination Strategies:**
The bright colouration of the flower's petals along with the pleasant scent all suggest that the primary means of pollination for the Clivia flower is through the help of pollinators such as insects or as previously mentioned small birds.

**Nectar**
Attempts to obtain nectar from the Clivia flower specimen proved to be fruitless.

Fun Fact!!!! Clivias contain poisonous alkaloids