Water Lily(Nymphaeaceae)

Each white or pink flower has many petals surrounding both male and female reproductive parts, and is only open during the daytime for three days.

On the first morning, the flowers produce a fluid in the cup-like center and are receptive to pollen from other flowers. However, they are not yet releasing pollen themselves. Pollen-covered insects are attracted by the sweet smell, but the flower is designed so that when they enter the flower, they fall into the fluid. This washes the pollen off their bodies and onto the female flower parts (stigmas) causing fertilization.

Usually the insects manage to crawl out of the fluid and live to visit other flowers, but occasionally the unfortunate creature will remain trapped and die when the flower closes during the afternoon. On the second and the third days, the flowers are no longer receptive to pollen, and no fluid is produced. Instead, pollen is released from the stamens (the flexible yellow match-shaped structures in the flower center). Visiting insects pick up the pollen and transport it to flowers in the first day of the flowering cycle. After the three days the flowers are brought under water by coiling their stalks. The seeds mature under water and after several weeks are released into the water.

Chinese dwarf banana (Musella lasiocarpa)

It also known as the golden lotus banana.

Nectar is produced uniformly while flowers are open. Insects, such as bumblebees, honeybees, and wasps are attracted by sweet smell of nectar. Insect pollination has played an important role in the reproductive isolation and breeding system of Musella.


Orchid Insect pollination plays an important part in the reproductive system of orchid, therefore orchids are often colourful and have attracting nectar.

Part of the median stigma lobe, which has two important functions. First, it separates the anther from the fertile part of the stigma and prevents self-pollination in most species. Second, part of it, the viscidium, is a sticky pad frequently connected by a stalk to the pollinia. When the viscidium is touched, it quickly adheres so that as the pollinator backs out of the flower the entire pollinarium is removed with it.