GENERAL ADAPTATION
The African starfish flowers are that present in the world are in desert like environment like the Succulent Karao Biome. These environments have arid climates and soil that lacks water with few insects for pollination. Therefore, these flowers evolved over millions of years and developed adaptations to cope with the environmental challenges such as insufficient supply of water. One general adaptation for the plant is to withstand long periods of drought. This is important because the region is extremely long in the summer with incredibly high levels of aridity. Aridity refers to the quick evaporation of water. This adaptation is considered to be anatomical because the flowers store water in their stems. In fact, the plant is also referred to being succulent because of its ability to store water. This is also the reason why the biome has Succulent in the name because all the different types of plants must have properties of a succulent plant in order to survive in the biome. The African starfish flower, along with other species living in the biome, have thick, fleshy, and swollen stems due to the development of water storing tissues.
The African starfish flowers are that present in the world are in desert like environment like the Succulent Karao Biome. These environments have arid climates and soil that lacks water with few insects for pollination. Therefore, these flowers evolved over millions of years and developed adaptations to cope with the environmental challenges such as insufficient supply of water. One general adaptation for the plant is to withstand long periods of drought. This is important because the region is extremely long in the summer with incredibly high levels of aridity. Aridity refers to the quick evaporation of water. This adaptation is considered to be anatomical because the flowers store water in their stems. In fact, the plant is also referred to being succulent because of its ability to store water. This is also the reason why the biome has Succulent in the name because all the different types of plants must have properties of a succulent plant in order to survive in the biome. The African starfish flower, along with other species living in the biome, have thick, fleshy, and swollen stems due to the development of water storing tissues.
SPECIAL ADAPTATION
Another obstacle for the African starfish flowers were that their habitats only offered few insect pollinators. Therefore the African starfish flowers developed a special adaptation. Since one of the species that live in habitats where the plant grows are flies, the plant use a special type of adaptation called mimicry to lure the flies into their petals for pollination. The flowers evolved to have properties quite attractive to flies. Flies search for food that have the smell of rotten flesh and can smell the carrion from long distances. One unique property of the flower is that the starfish flower grows large, fleshy shades of purple brown and yellow with bars of darker colours The flower has a similar texture to decaying flesh and the appearance gives the impression of exposed flesh. In addition, the African starfish flower have an overpowering stench which gives off odour that resembles decaying animal corpse Since the scent is really strong, flies could immediately detech the flower from a long distance. The odour is caused by putrescence and cadaverine, simple amine compounds derived from the amino acids ornithine and lysine. The colur of the flower is considered to be an anatomical adapatioan as the flower is affected, and the stench is a chemical adaptation These two adapations have helped the flower with reproduction as the flies aid in pollenation, and protection from pedators since some animals are repelled by the scent.
Another obstacle for the African starfish flowers were that their habitats only offered few insect pollinators. Therefore the African starfish flowers developed a special adaptation. Since one of the species that live in habitats where the plant grows are flies, the plant use a special type of adaptation called mimicry to lure the flies into their petals for pollination. The flowers evolved to have properties quite attractive to flies. Flies search for food that have the smell of rotten flesh and can smell the carrion from long distances. One unique property of the flower is that the starfish flower grows large, fleshy shades of purple brown and yellow with bars of darker colours The flower has a similar texture to decaying flesh and the appearance gives the impression of exposed flesh. In addition, the African starfish flower have an overpowering stench which gives off odour that resembles decaying animal corpse Since the scent is really strong, flies could immediately detech the flower from a long distance. The odour is caused by putrescence and cadaverine, simple amine compounds derived from the amino acids ornithine and lysine. The colur of the flower is considered to be an anatomical adapatioan as the flower is affected, and the stench is a chemical adaptation These two adapations have helped the flower with reproduction as the flies aid in pollenation, and protection from pedators since some animals are repelled by the scent.
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