Re: HYB: pollenation, bees
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: HYB: pollenation, bees
- From: B* S* <B*@hsc.edu>
- Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 07:02:38 -0600 (MDT)
Walter's observations on bee pods parallel my own. Even bumblebees find it
hard to pollinate the modern varieties of TBs--I think simply because they
are so large. Most irises do show the "bumblebee syndrome" for
pollination, that is, they are designed to be pollinated by fairly large
insects. But the modern hybrids are so large, it would take a Cicada
Killer to pollinate them!
I wonder if anyone out there knows of any studies on the pollinators in
nature of our native irises? In particular, what pollinates Iris cristata?
I was interested in pollination biology some 20 years ago, and collected a
lot of data and pictures showing that bumblebees pollinate the pink
ladyslipper, Cypripedium acaule. Unfortunately I did not get around to
publishing the stuff, and got scooped. The neat thing about this
particular case is that nearly all other ladyslippers are pollinated by
flies, but C. acaule has a unique flower design within the genus that is
explained by the pollinator.
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@hsc.edu>
