Chapter 1
The mechanical mouth
Chapter 2
The spooky transformation
Chapter 3
The genetics rebel
Chapter 4
From the Mediterranean to the backyard
Ch 1 · The mechanical mouth
artiteacher Snapdragon Landing Lights
Stripes on the bloom, runways for bees, guiding them in.
artiteacher The Antirrhinum majus blocks nectar access using a personate structure where the lower petal lip tucks tightly inside the upper lip
artiteacher The snapdragon's closed jaw temporarily traps bees to guarantee thorough pollen dusting.
Fun Fact
Snapdragon jaws: Squeezing a snapdragon flower gently on its sides makes the 'dragon mouth' open and close, a trick grandparents have shown kids for generations.
Glossary
snapdragon (noun)
Any plant of the genus Antirrhinum, characterized by showy flowers with a two-lipped corolla. Sluvk's book details how the flower's two petals spring apart when the blossom is squeezed.
Any plant of the genus Antirrhinum, characterized by showy flowers with a two-lipped corolla. Sluvk's book details how the flower's two petals spring apart when the blossom is squeezed.
Quiz
What is the botanical term for a two-lipped, closed flower structure like the snapdragon?
Quiz
What happens immediately after a bumblebee crawls completely inside a snapdragon flower?
Quiz
Which insect is typically too small or weak to open a snapdragon flower from the front, but may use holes left by nectar robbers?
Quiz
What is the term for insects that chew through a snapdragon flower to steal nectar without pollinating?
Quiz
Which pigment type is responsible for the red, blue, and purple colors in snapdragons?
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of the striped patterns along a snapdragon's petal veins?