Flowers and Pollinators

The flowers of Aconitum delphinifolium are unique in that the top sepal resembles the hood worn by monks, hence its common name monkshood. The showy flower is bisexual, and is composed of 5 violet sepals. There are 2 petals recessed under the hood in the form of nectaries. With the nectaries protected under the hood, and its stamens and pistils located at the base of the other four sepals, it is especially suited to be pollinated by bumblebees (SEINet). The bumblebee must land on the landing platform that contains the stamens and pistils, and must struggle between the sepals to reach the reward in the nectaries using its long tongue. The distance to the nectaries makes it available only to long tongued bumblebees. To reduce the chance of self-fertilization, the stamens reach maturity prior to the carpels, and can range from 25-50 per flower. There are usually 3 pistils per flower, with 10-20 ovules per pistil (SEINet). 

 http://watchingtheworldwakeup.blogspot.com/2009/08/valley-of-death-and-2-kindred-spirits.htm

(Bumblebee pollinating monkshood) 

http://cabinetofcuriosities-greenfingers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/bee-magnet.html

 http://watchingtheworldwakeup.blogspot.com/2009/08/valley-of-death-and-2-kindred-spirits.htm

Works Cited

Gates, Phil. "Bee Magnet." Cabinet of Curiosities. Blogspot.com, 17 July 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://cabinetofcuriosities-greenfingers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/bee-magnet.html>.

Southwest Environmental Information Network. "Aconitum." SEINet-Aconitum. Swbiodiversity.org, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=4469&proj=Arizona>.

Watcher. "The Valley of Death, And 2 Kindred Spirits." Watching the World Wake Up. Blogspot.com, 5 Aug. 2009. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. <http://watchingtheworldwakeup.blogspot.com/2009/08/valley-of-death-and-2-kindred-spirits.html>.