FLOWERS HISTORY

                                               POLLEN AND NECTAR

   

           INSIDE A FLOWER THERE IS A SWEET JUICE CALLED NECTAR. AS INSECTS AND BIRDS DRINK NECTOAR, THEY TAKE POLLEN FROM ONE FLOWER TO ANOTHER. WHEN A BEE DRINKS NECTOR, POLLE STICKS TO ITS FURRY BODY. IT FLIES TO ANOTHER FLOWER OF THE SAME KIND AND SOME OF THE POLLEN DROPS OFF. THIS FLOWER NOW HAS SOME POLLEN FROM ANOTHER FLOWER. POLLEN CAN RUB ONTO A HUMMINGBIRD'S BEAK AS IT DRINKS NECTAR. THE POLLEN RUBS OFF INTO THE NEXT FLOWER THAT THE HUMMINGBIRD VISITS.

      BEES CAN COLLECT NECTAR FROM OVER 1000 FLOWERS BEFORE THEY FEEL FULL!

   MAKING SEEDS

          PLANTS START TO GROW SEEDS AS SOON AS THEY HAVE SOME POLLEN FROM ANOTHER PLANT. WHEN POLLEN LANDS ON A POPPY, A POD GROWS IN THE MIDDLE. SEEDS GROW INSIDE THE POD AND THE FLOWER BEGINS TO DIE. THE PETALS FALL OFF, LEAVING A POD FULL OF SEEDS. ALLIUMS ARE MADE UP OF LOTS OF TINY FLOWERS. EACH FLOWER BECOMES A TINY SEED POD. CHINESE LANTERN SEEDS GROW INSIDE A HOLLOW CASE. 

  SOME CATERPILLARS LIVE IN SEED PODS. WHEN THE CATERPILLARS MOVE, THE PODS SEEM TO 'JUMP'.

      SPREADING SEEDS

          SEEDS NEED LOTS OF SPACE TO GROW, SO THEY HAVE TO BE SCATTERED FAR APART. BURDOCK SHARP, SPIKY HOOKS. THEY GET CAUGHT ON AN ANIMAL'S FUR AS IT BRUSHES PAST. WHEN THE ANIMAL SCRATCHES, THE SEEDS FALL OFF. CRANE'S BILL PLANTS HAVE SEED PODS ON THIN STEMS. THE STEMS CURL UP AND SHOOT THE SEEDS OUT OF THEIR PODS. DANDELION SEEDS FLOAT ON THE WIND LIKE LITTLE PARACHUTES.

 WHEN ANTS CAN SEEDS INTO THEIR NESTS TO EAT, SOME OF THE SEEDS BEGIN TO GROW.

      RAINFOREST FLOWERS

         RAINFORESTS ARE WARM, WET PLACES. TREES BLOCK OUT SUNLIGHT, SO IT'S DARK ON THE GROUND. THE LEAVES OF GLORY LILIES HOOK INTO TREES, SO THEY CAN GROW UP TO THE SUNLIGHT. 

TANK PLANTS TRAP RAINWATER IN THEIR LEAVES. FROGS LIVE IN THE POOLS OF WATER.

     A RAFFLESIA BUD GROWS ON THE GROUND. IT GROWS AS BIG AS A CABBAGE. ITS FIVE RED PETALS START TO UNFOLD. RAFFLESIA FLOWERS ARE AS BIG AS THE WHEELS ON A TRUCK AND HAVE NO LEAVES OR STEMS. THEY SMELL OF ROTTING MEAT TO ATTRACT FLIES WHICH SPREAD THEIR POLLEN.