In the amazing catalog of living things that fill the earth one discovers a
myriad of examples of incredible intricacy that demonstrate just how
complex both life-forms and their cycles can be the diverse and complex methods
used by flowering plants to reproduce present such an example especially the
extraordinary case of the bucket orchid
Coryanthes speciosa and Stanhopea grandiflora the two species of bucket
orchids are native to the tropical areas of Mexico, Central and South America and
Trinidad these members of the orchid family have a sophisticated means of
reproduction that requires the services of specific species of orchid bees two
subspecies of orchid B are just the right size weight and shape to be of
assistance to the bucket orchid each subspecies of bucket orchid secretes a
uniquely scented oily perfume which is produced in the upper hood of the flower
the male bees feel special pouches on their hind legs with it using the
perfume to attract lady friends and they will endure any hardship to smell their
best the upper part of the flower in which the plant produces its oily
perfume has a waxy surface made more slippery by the perfume itself as the
bees go about collecting their treasure they often slip and fall into the lower
part of the flower the bucket above the bucket is a gland that drips a watery
fluid through a spigot keeping the bucket partially filled the orchid B is
just the right size and weight for the remarkable process that takes place
during its visit to the flower the B having fallen into the bottom of the
bucket would perish there in the liquid unable to escape were it not for a small
step on the edge of the bucket this step is just the right size
shape to enable the bee to pull itself out of the pool alas our bee would
remain trapped in the flower were it not for a small tunnel located beyond the
step the tunnel or tube is just large enough for our species of orchid bee to
pass through and so he begins his escape but just as he is about to exit to
freedom the tube contracts holding the bead tightly in place the contraction of
this tube causes the secretion of a small amount of glue onto the bees back
but only upon a tiny targeted area so as not to inhibit the bees ability to fly
then two orange colored sacs containing pollen when the flower is in its male
phase are pressed into the glue after around 45 minutes once the glue sets the
escape tube relaxes and the bee flies free now carrying only the pollen sacks
RB despite his harrowing adventure still has his lady friends in mind and is in
no way deterred from visiting another bucket orchid of the same species to top
up his cologne supply alas doing the gathering of more scent Isle
he again finds himself plunged into the bucket of another orchid dogged Lea he
climbs out of the pool using the convenient step and goes through the
now-familiar tunnel to freedom this time if the orchid flower has entered its
female phase instead of the pollen sacs awaiting him at the end of the tunnel
there's a small hook like structure this removes the pollen sacs from the bees
back and causes them to open and pollinate the flowers pistol or female
reproductive organ beginning the process leading to the development of orchid
seeds and thus ensuring another generation of this incredible plant
Charles Darwin recognized there was no indication in the fossil record of the
evolution of flowers as he noted in 1881 letter to botanist Sir Joseph Hooker
Darwyn never did offer an explanation as to how a process like natural selection
was sufficient to create a complex symbiotic relationship such as we see in
this instance in fact the bucket orchids mechanism of pollination seems quite
contrary to the norms of Darwinian theory processes that make survival more
difficult and more prone to failure are supposed by Darwinism to be eliminated
through natural selection yet in the case of the bucket orchid a complex
mechanism that requires a partnership with a single subspecies of be making
survival even chance ear has flourished for millennium add to this the need of a
simultaneous development of the highly specialized characteristics in the
flower and pollen ator through a random process such as described by Darwinian
evolution and we see a theory that honest scientists admit is totally
improbable mathematically without intelligent direction and design I'm
Stewart for homage for tomorrow's world viewpoint if you would like to receive a
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