Glandular flower stalks

From: Paul Burkhardt (burkhard@aries.scs.uiuc.edu)
Date: Tue Jun 10 1997 - 09:37:18 PDT 

Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 11:37:18 -0500 (CDT)
From: Paul Burkhardt <burkhard@aries.scs.uiuc.edu>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg2266$foo@default>
Subject: Glandular flower stalks

Hello list,

I, like some others, have found that sticky flower stalks are quite
interesting. It seems almost counterproductive since any potential
pollinators would be trapped. I myself have seen fungus gnats meet their
demise in this manner. But as Dave Evans pointed out, most of the
pollinators only land on the flowers. What other reason then for the
sticky glands on the stalks since they don't play a digestive role? I have
noticed that when the seed pods burst open, quite a number of seeds get
stuck on the flower stalk and when the stalk collapses and shrivels, the
seeds are then sowed. This might be an advantage of some sort, but then
again the sticky stalks just might be a 'sixth finger'. Just my two
cents.

Paul Burkhardt

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