Photograph: I. Brown
Acacia pycnantha is commonly known
as Golden Wattle.
It flowers from August to October. 50-80 bright yellow flowers make up a ball, 8-10mm in diameter. In many wattles the female organ, the style, emerges first. On that day, the flowers are female and receptive to pollen from another flower. The next day the pollen bearing organs, the stamens emerge and the balls gain their usual fluffy appearance. Honeybees are commonly seen on Golden Wattle blossoms or, as the photo shows, hoverflies, but birds may actually also be involved in the pollination of this species.
Sixteen united pollen grains make up the dispersal unit.
Pollen images
light microscopy
electron microscopy
It flowers from August to October. 50-80 bright yellow flowers make up a ball, 8-10mm in diameter. In many wattles the female organ, the style, emerges first. On that day, the flowers are female and receptive to pollen from another flower. The next day the pollen bearing organs, the stamens emerge and the balls gain their usual fluffy appearance. Honeybees are commonly seen on Golden Wattle blossoms or, as the photo shows, hoverflies, but birds may actually also be involved in the pollination of this species.
Sixteen united pollen grains make up the dispersal unit.
Pollen images
light microscopy
electron microscopy