Botanical Family Primulaceae
Bloom Time May – June
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Colpus
Ornamentation Psilate
Tectum Eutectate
Size
Shape Triangular
Botanical Family Rutaceae
Bloom Time April – July
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Compound
Ornamentation Granulate
Tectum Eutectate
Size
Shape Round
Botanical Family Papaveraceae
Bloom Time March – June
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Clypeate
Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um)
Shape Oval
Pollen Color
Pollen Source
Nectar Source
Flower photo contributed by Mount Cuba
Botanical Family Ranunculaceae
Bloom Time March – July
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Compound
Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate
Tectum Eutectate
Size
Shape Oval
Botanical Family Ranunculaceae
Bloom Time April – June
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Colpus
Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate
Tectum Eutectate
Size
Shape Oval
Botanical Family Iridaceae
Bloom Time September – November
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number N/A
Aperture Type Inaperturate
Ornamentation Striate, Porate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um)
Shape Round
Pollen Color Orange
Pollen Source • • •
Nectar Source • • •
Botanical Family Iridaceae
Bloom Time March – April
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 0-1
Aperture Type Inaperturate
Ornamentation Echinate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um) 102
Shape Round
Pollen Color Yellowish orange
Pollen Source • • •
Nectar Source • •
Botanical Family Papaveraceae
Bloom Time April – June
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 3
Aperture Type Colpus
Ornamentation Granulate/Perforate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um)
Shape Round
Pollen Color
Pollen Source
Nectar Source
Flower photo contributed by Mount Cuba
Botanical Family Asparagaceae
Bloom Time April
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 1
Aperture Type Sulcus
Ornamentation Psilate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um)
Shape Round
Pollen Color White
Pollen Source • •
Nectar Source •
Botanical Family Commelinaceae
Bloom Time July – September
Dispersal Unit Monad
Aperture Number 0-1
Aperture Type Inaperturate
Ornamentation Echinate
Tectum Eutectate
Size (um)
Shape Oval
Pollen Color Yellow, Blue, Brown
Pollen Source
Nectar Source
The pollen from Commelina communis is polymorphic, meaning that the pollen, and often the anthers as well, come in different colors. In this case, Commelina has yellow, blue, or brown anthers and pollens (Willner 2011). Commelina communis has sterile, or fodder pollen, as well as fertile pollen, and these different types of pollen can have different colors even on the same flower head.
Willmer, P. (2011). Pollination and floral ecology. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Lunau, K. (1995). Notes on the colour of pollen. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 198(3/4), 235-252. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23642852
The Anther's Promise 