Field of Science

Floral mimicry - Spots



Floral mimicries are really nifty things, where a flower mimics a pollinator.  This has been reported for a number of flowers that pose as female insects attracting males interested in finding a mate.  This mimicry is a bit similar but not really.  What do you see?  A pollinating fly sees a fly, right down the the UV reflection.  It is a bit troubling that masking the spots did not impact the number of seed produced.  Also how is it that the spots only form on some of the ray flowers?  Inner most?  But it is so cool when you find one of these things, although it can be nigh on impossible to prove in some cases. This one is well known, a flower that attracts flies by looking and smelling like carrion. 

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