Sun-Tracking Solar Furnaces in High Arctic Flowers: Significance for Pollination and Insects

Heliotropic flowers ( Dryas integrifolia , Papaver radicatum ) act, in sunshine, as solar reflectors, their corollas focusing heat on the sporophylls. Considerable intrafloral temperatures are generated. Winds above 3.8 meters per second and cloud abolish the effect. Insects that bask in the flowers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Author: Kevan, Peter G.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1975
Subjects:
Arctic
Papaver radicatum
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.189.4204.723
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.189.4204.723
Description
Summary:Heliotropic flowers ( Dryas integrifolia , Papaver radicatum ) act, in sunshine, as solar reflectors, their corollas focusing heat on the sporophylls. Considerable intrafloral temperatures are generated. Winds above 3.8 meters per second and cloud abolish the effect. Insects that bask in the flowers also gain heat. The phenomena are important in maximizing the small heat budget.

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