Although the first flowering plants appeared on earth 130 million years ago, it took another 30 to 60 million years and the development of the petal before flowers started working their full magic on planet earth. In his National Geographic article "The Big Bloom—How Flowering Plants Changed the World", Michael Klesius explains that the interaction of insects and flowering plants created a very successful and enduring relationship: " In time flowers evolved arresting colors, alluring fragrances, and special petals that provide landing pads for their insect pollinators. Uppermost in the benefits package for insects is nectar, a nutritious fluid flowers provide as a type of trading commodity in exchange for pollen dispersal." That's right we owe a great big shout out to butterflies, bees and wasps for all of those luscious blossoms that inspire and nourish the human spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment