Colour influences pollinator behaviour

The Flower of the European Orchid

Form and function of the flower organs are the main focus of the new fascinating book The Flower of the European Orchid by Jean Claessens and Jacques Kleynen. Illustrated by great macro as well as microscopic photos this important opus presents a comprehensive description of the structure of orchid flowers with the different European genera. In a foreword, Richard Bateman writes: „No other family of plants can match the orchids for their sheer charisma“. But the excitement goes along with a certain scientific pain – Bateman stresses that there still remain major scientific uncertainties which „further torment us“ – among them questions of evolutionary adaptation.

The orchids’ strategies of fertilization are manifold and the book explains how the specific construction of the column (gynostemium) supports allogamy by pollinators or autogamy (self-fertilization). Especially intriguing are the strategies of Dactylorhiza, Orchis and other genera without any nectar in the spur. Claessens and Kleynen explain that the pollinators of Orchis mascula are „recently emerged, naïve bees or exploratory insects that have not yet learned that the flowers offer no reward” (p. 220). The authors also cite the study of L. Dormont, R. Delle-Vedove, J.-M. Bessière, M. Hossaert-Mc Key und B. Schatz about the presence of white-flowered Orchis mascula which underlines „the importance of visual cues for attracting pollinators“ (p. 220).

In the Dactylorhiza chapter the authors write: „Colour can also influence pollinator behaviour“ (p. 240). With regard to the red and the yellow forms of Dactylorhiza sambucina they refer to experiments showing that experienced bumblebees „preferred by far the morph that most resembled the rewarding plant on which they have fed previously“. Vice versa it may be presumed that there may be a form of evolutionary adaptation directed to develop visual cues which are different from non rewarding plants being abundant in a certain region – as it could be the case in Western Ireland with the many white-flowered forms of Dactylorhiza fuchsii on meadows with earlier flowering Orchis mascula.

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