title: Coevolution: puff pollination in tropical flowers.
abstract: A new study shows that birds plucking anthers of the Melastome, Axinaea, demonstrate a novel bird pollination mechanism. Each stamen of Axinaea offers a nutrient-rich, berry-like food body that, when bitten, releases a puff of pollen allowing transfer to stigmas by wind or the pollen-dusted bird.
authors: Biology Department, Thompson Biology Lab, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, USA. Electronic address: joan.edwards@williams.edu.
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D035264:Flowers / Q000502:physiology*; D035322:Melastomataceae / Q000502:physiology*; D054817:Pollination / Q000502:physiology*