Pollinium
Pollinium, or plural
pollinia, is a coherent mass of pollen grains in a plant. They are the product of only one anther, but are transferred, during pollination, as a single unit. This is regularly seen in plants such as orchids and many species of milkweeds. Most orchids have
waxy pollinia. These are connected to one or two elongate stipes, which in turn are attached to the sticky
viscidium. Some orchid genera have
mealy pollinia. These are tapering into a
caudicle, attached to the viscidium. They extend into the middle section of the column. The combination of pollinia, caudicles, stipes and viscidium form the
pollinarium. The waxy pollinia of a
Phalaenopsis Pollinia of a
Phalaenopsis orchid Pollinium of
Ophrys apifera Male bee with pollinium attached to its head...