How are pollen grains protected from wetting in water-pollinated species?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → They are covered by a mucilaginous layer.
Pollination by water is quite rare in flowering plants and is limited to about 30 genera, mostly monocotyledons. Some examples of water pollinated plants are Vallisneria and Hydrilla which grow in fresh water and several marine sea-grasses such as Zostera.
Not all aquatic plants use water for pollination. In a majority of aquatic plants such as water hyacinth and water lily, the flowers emerge above the level of water and are pollinated by insects or wind as in most of the land plants.
In Vallisneria, the female flower reach the surface of water by the long stalk and the male flowers or pollen grains are released on to the surface of water. They are carried passively by water currents, some of them eventually reach the female flowers and the stigma.
In another group of water pollinated plants such as sea grasses, female flowers remain submerged in water and the pollen grains are released inside the water. Pollen grains in many such species are long, ribbon like and they are carried passively inside the water; some of them reach the stigma and achieve pollination. In most of the water-pollinated species, pollen grains are protected from wetting by a mucilaginous covering.