Pollination: Animals or Wind
Species with larger and/or more colourful flowers are likely to employ cross-pollination.
Cross-pollination is an important part of the success of many Australian flowering plants.
Many plants have co-evolved with specific animal
pollinators
to maximise their chance of reproductive success.
Not all cross-pollination involves animals.
Plants such as grasses do not have conspicuous flowers as they do not need to attract animal
pollinators.
Instead, they release vast numbers of lightweight pollen grains to the wind to effect cross-pollination.
The flowers of this inflorescence of the eucalypt Corymbia ficifolia are adapted for cross-pollination and are showy due to their red stamens rather than colourful petals.