Drakaea : The narrow lipped hammer orchid
The hammer orchid is an orchid endemic to Western Australia.
This plant is pollinated by a single species of male thynnid wasp using sexual deception.
The orchid's labellum( or lip) resembles in shape and scent of female flightless thynnid wasp.
Again the labellum is maroon in color and with scattered hairs resembling the insect.
Flowering is in November to December ad produces capsule-like fruits with up to 500 seeds.
It has developed an intelligent mechanism for pollination.
The scent from the labellum mimicks the pheromone produced by the female thynnid and when the male detects the pheromone it flies in a zig zag pattern until it reaches the female.
Once the male reaches the labellum (attracted by pheromone) ,the wasp tries to fly away with the labellum. In this process, the thorax of male wasp comes in contact with the sticky pollen packet and the pollens get attached to the body of the wasp. The pollination is considered successful only if this pollens fall on the stigma of same flower or of another hammer orchid.
This is a wonderful example of mimicry in nature for survival ...
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