Day 24 - Champaca fragrances and the beetle connection

 Bangalore diaries

Magnolia champaca 

Watching from Neeta's terrace garden, the golden orange flowers dot the tree.  Fragrances wafting in the air, send me into a daydream. Flowers and wavy-edged leaves, and a tree so ancient, that they were there before the bees.

The ancient beetles pollinate these ancient magnolias. The beetles are after the protein rich pollen, not the nectar.  The flowers entice them with their fragrance.  

"Because the beetles are interested in pollen and pollen alone, the flowers mature in a way that ensures cross pollination. The male parts mature first and offer said pollen. The female parts of the flower are second to mature. They produce no reward for the beetles but are instead believed to mimic the male parts, ensuring that the beetles will spend some time exploring and thus effectively pollinating the flowers."

Source:  Mighty Magnolias

Champaca's soft fleshy petals and heady fragrances are not directed at me or my Gods, but at the beetles.  They need to "humour the beetles and put up with a lot of crap"

Trees are brilliant I tell you.