Wind pollination remains little studied, especially the mechanism by which grains are abscised from anthers. Using the cosmopolitan weed Plantago lanceolata, we show via a shaker table in the laboratory and by field observations that grains are emitted through resonant vibration of the stamen. Abscission occurs in discrete bursts, each successive burst containing fewer grains and requiring a higher frequency as the anther mass is reduced. The accelerations are quite large and permit the grains to escape the boundary layer around the anther. We relate this result to the morphological traits typical of wind-pollinated plants, arguing that resonance-induced dispersal of grains is likely the main mechanism by which anemophilous species disperse pollen.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.