Sunday, September 2, 2007

Nectar

Your continued donations keep Wikipedia running!

Nectar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses of "Nectar", see Nectar (disambiguation).
Nectar of camellia
Nectar of camellia

Nectar, in botany, is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants. It is produced either by the flowers in order to attract pollinating animals or by or extrafloral nectaries in order to supply a nutrient source to animals providing anti-hibovor protection. It is produced in glands called nectaries

[edit] Floral Nectaries

Floral nectaries are generally located at the base of the perianth, so that pollinators are made to brush the flower's reproductive structures, the anthers and pistil, while accessing the nectar.

[edit] Extrafloral Nectaries

Nectar that is produced outside the flower is generally produced to attract predatory insects. These predatory insects will eat both the nectar and any plant-eating insects around, thus functioning as 'bodyguards'[1]. Extrafloral nectaries are generally located on the leaf petioles, mid-rib or leaf margin. They are thought to be modified trichomes and exude nectar that is sourced from phloem sap. Extrafloral nectaries can be found on species belonging to (amongst others) the genera: Salix, Prunus and Gossypium.

Extrafloral nectaries on Prunus africana
Extrafloral nectaries on Prunus africana

Nectar is economically important as it is the sugar source for honey. It is also useful in agriculture and horticulture because the adult stages of many predatory insects, as well as hummingbirds and butterflies, feed on nectar.

[edit] See also

This botany article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar"
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)