Pollen shape and pollinator stickiness

[spudman2]

So, pollen comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, as we've all read in those Nat Geo books we had as a kid. But does the shape do anything? Like, do bee-pollinated species have pollen that sticks better to bees than say, hummingbirds?

[lajoswinkler]

Yes, pollen shape is partially dependant on the pollinator (wind, insects, birds).

It's one of the evolutionary adaptations.

For example, pines have vesiculate ones which increase surface area so that they're easier to carry by wind. And wind is the primary, dominant pollinator of pines.

[Hcube]

By the way, the fact that they are each very different and particular is very handy for ancient climates reconstitutions.