Staff Cecil Lee Posted October 16, 2017 Staff Share Posted October 16, 2017 Aristolochia gigantea Aristolochiaceae Giant Dutchman’s Pipe A robust vine from Brazil, the Giant Dutchman’s Pipe is so called due to the unopened flower’s resemblance to an old-fashioned smoking pipe. When in bloom, the large showy flowers (20cm wide) emit an odour which attract insects such as flies for pollination. Stiff downward-pointing hairs inside the flower prevent visiting insects from leaving, which deposit pollen on the stigma situated deep in the floral (perianth) tube. The insects escape when the hairs are relaxed as the pollen are released. Flower of Aristolochia gigantea, showing numerous stiff hairs for trapping pollinators Photos: Edmund Chia, Lai Simin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now