Platanthera ciliaris [pollination & insect interaction]

Platanthera ciliars [pollination & insect interaction]

Two entire pollinaria have been pushed on to Platanthera ciliars from a butterfly and the pollinia has been attached to the stigma, and pollination has been successful. Schuylkill County, Pa. 7-23-24.

Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] in the act of pollinating Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. Schuylkill County, Pa. 7-23-24. Notice the many pollinaria that are stuck to the eyes of this butterfly. After visiting a flower the eye comes into contact with the viscidium at the tip of the anther sack [which is sticky], when leaving the flower the butterfly inadvertently pulls the pollinarium out of the anther sack. When the Butterfly flies with pollinaria attached to its eyes, this dries the pollinaria and forces them to face foward so when the Butterfly enters another flower the pollina at the tip will come into contact with the stigma and pollination [hopefully] has been successful. The orchid, in this case P. ciliaris, has evolved to create this intricate relationship with a butterfly, by providing nectar, to be pollinated and produce seeds and the continuation of its species. The wonders of plants including orchids and their relationships with insects, sometimes specific insects, to be pollinated and continue their kind is truly amazing and a wonder of nature.

Platanthera ciliars. Schuylkill County, Pa. 8-1-23. Note the stigma is full of pollinia, indicating it has be successfully pollinated [pictures above and below]

Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] on Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. This series of pictures shows shows Spicebush Swallowtails in the act of pollinating a Orange fringed Orchids, notice the pollinarium stuck to the eye of the Butterfly. When the Butterfly puts its probocis into the nectary of the flower its eye comes into contact with the tip of the anther sac and the viscidium, which is sticky. When the Butterfly leaves it pulls the pollinium out of the anther sac. The pollinium contains the pollinia [pollen], and upon reaching the the next flower the Butterfly inadvertently bushes the pollina aganist the stigma of the flower and pollination is completed. It should be noted that on the pollinarium above the viscidium there is the pedicel, the pedicel is a hook like object that swivels, its function is to swing the pollinarium to the front to line up with the stigma as the butterfly enters the flower.

Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] on Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. Notice the pollinarium stuck to the right eye of the Butterfly.

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris], yellow forma. Schuylkill County, Pa. 7-26-23. Looking like a button or tag, you can see the sticky viscidium at the tip of the anther sac, ready to attach itself to pollinator's eye and thus pulling out the pollinarium.

Platanthera ciliars. Schuylkill County, Pa. 7-31-23. Notice that a pollinator has pulled the pollinarium part way out of the anther sack [showing the caudicle] by the sticky viscidium, but not enough to to pull the entire pollinarium out.

The long amazing spur of Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris], makes you realize just how long the the proboscis of the Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] must be to reach the bottom of the spur. Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly is a known pollinator of Orange Fringed Orchids. Schuylkill County, Pa. 7-31-23

Spice Bush Swallowtail Butterfly [Papilio troilus] on Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, [yellow form]]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22. You can just see Pollinarium struck to the butterflies left eye. Pictures above and below.

In this series of pictures we see a Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] Butterfly in the act of pollinating Platanthera ciliars. You can see, attached to the eye pollinarium, which it has unknowingly removed from the flower. As the Butterfly sticks its proboscis deep into the flowers spur, its eye comes into contact with the anther sack, and the viscidium, which is sticky. When it leaves the flower it pulls the pollinarium [the male part] from the flower out of the anther sack, which is now stuck to it's eye The pollinarium contains the pollinia which will hopefully brush up against and come into contact with the stigma [the female part of the flower] of the next flower it visits, and hopefully pollination will be achieved.

These pictures show the pollination of Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris] by a Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus]. As the Butterfly sticks its proboscis deep into the flowers spur, its eye comes into contact with the anther sack, and the viscidium, which is sticky [picture 1]. When it leaves the flower it pulls the pollinarium [the male part] from the flower out of the anther sack, which is now stuck to it's eye [picture 2]. When the Butterfly enters a second flowers the end of the pollinarium, which is made up of tiny grains of pollen, brushes up against the stigma, the female part of the flower, and deposits the pollen [picture 3, grains of pollen on the stigma]. In this way pollination has been achieved, the truly amazing world of orchid pollination.

This picture shows the sticky viscidium at the tip anther sac. When the insect, in the case of Platanthera ciliars, a Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus], comes in search of nectar, its eye comes in contact with viscidium. When the butterfly flies away it pulls the pollinarium from the anther sack.

Platanthera ciliars ​[pollination & insect interaction]

Platanthera ciliars [pollination & insect interaction]