Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
Walking through the tangled branches of a mountain laurel thicket is tedious and slow, but the intricacies of pollination in mountain laurel involve some of the fastest movement of any plant. The anthers, in which the pollen is produced, develop tucked into pockets near the base of the petals. As the flower grows and matures, tension builds up in the anther stalks. When disturbed, perhaps by an insect or by the wind, the anther stalks break free and catapult pollen toward the center of the flower at a blistering speed. With luck, a visiting insect will be showered with pollen and carry it to another plant.
Botany Break-Out
As noted by Charles Darwin, explosive pollen release has evolved in several plant families, including some bee-pollinated orchids. However, its function varies in different plants. Often the target for the expelled pollen is an insect, but sometimes pollen is just tossed into the air to be carried away by the wind.
