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Flynn, Western Australia, Australia
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Kentdale, Western Australia, Australia
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Christmas Hills, Victoria, Australia
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Waterfall, New South Wales, Australia
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Christmas Hills, Victoria, Australia
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Christmas Hills, Victoria, Australia
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Golden Lake, Victoria, Australia
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The touch sensitive column on this trigger plant (Stylidium graminifolium) flicks forward like a mouse-trap when a pollinator attempts to access the flower's nectar. The head of the column contains both anther and stigma and donates or receives pollen when triggered into punching a pollinator.In between the first and second photo I have set the trigger off. You can see that some pollen has become dislodged in the action and lies on the petal in the second photo.The lobes you see at the base of the petals prevent access to the nectar reward without the insect aligning itself in the right way to receive a hit with the reproductive structure.Great website on trigger plants
www.gdaywa.com/wildflowers/triggerplants.php
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Queensland, Australia
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Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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Christmas Hills, Victoria, Australia
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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Christmas Hills, Victoria, Australia
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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Golden Lake, Victoria, Australia
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Queensland, Australia
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This beautiful Trigger plant is just starting to flower in the forest at the moment standing at 3cm. The flower is 2cm long, the trigger on this flower is very short and can be seen between the top petals. Stylidium plants have an irritable "trigger" which moves open and below the flower until an insect lands on the petals. The "trigger" moves over and pats pollen onto the back of the insect. The insect flies onto another plant, gets another pat on the back, thus pollinating the plants. The trigger resets itself after each insect visit.
Website explaining trigger plant dynamics
