Pollination of Stapelia grandiflora (Apocynaceae)

Stapelia grandiflora (Apocynaceae) is a cactus-like african plant which is pollinated through sapromiophily. This is, a set of flower features mimic decaying matter and attract flies wich, in turn, act as pollinators. Bow flies oviposit onto the perianth. The eggs may hatch but the larvae cannot develop. The flower presents the androecium and gynoecium fused into a gynostegium. The pollen is packed in five pollinaria. These pollinaria are dislodged by the flies when they insert the proboscis into the gynostegium looking for nectar. The pollinaria have a clip-like structure (the translator) that clasps the insect proboscis, allowing its removal from the gynostegium. Music: The arabian dance, from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.