AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Wind-pollinated plants produce large numbers of light, dry pollen that are easier to carry by the wind. Stigma is the topmost surface of the pistil that receives pollen grains. Wind-pollinated flowers have a large, feathery stigma in order to trap the airborne pollen grains.

Detailed explanation-2: -Wind Pollination Their stigmas may be large and feathery to catch the pollen grains. Insects may visit them to collect pollen, but usually are ineffective pollinators and exert little natural selection on the flowers.

Detailed explanation-3: -Wind-pollinated plants don’t normally have flowers, but when they do they are small, don’t have perfumes or nectar, produce large amounts of light pollen, have stamens and stigmas exposed to air currents to either catch or distribute pollen and don’t normally have flower petals.

Detailed explanation-4: -A large amount of pollen is formed so that the pollination can occur properly. The flowers formed are generally unisexual, dull-colored, and odorless. The flowers possess a sticky stigma so that pollen can bind easily.

Detailed explanation-5: -In wind-pollinated flowers, the produced pollen grains are smaller and lighter in weight, which can be carried by the wind easily. In insect-pollinated flowers, the produced pollen grains are larger in size, sticky and spiny, which helps the insect to carry the pollen grains.