Floral Rewards — Amorphophallus (6 ft Tallest Flower) and Yucca-Moth Mutualism
✅ Asked in NEETThe flowers of Amorphophallus provide a safe place for the pollinator to lay eggs. This is an example of:
The flowers of Amorphophallus provide a safe place for the pollinator to lay eggs. This is an example of:
Answer & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: C — Floral reward
When Amorphophallus flowers provide a safe place for pollinators to lay eggs, this represents a floral reward. The plant offers shelter and breeding site to the pollinator in exchange for pollination services. This is a mutualistic relationship where both organisms benefit. It's not commensalism (only one benefits) or amensalism (one is harmed). Anemophily refers to wind pollination, which is irrelevant here.
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In some species floral rewards are in providing safe places to lay eggs; an example is that of the tallest flower of Amorphophallus (the flower itself is about 6 feet in height). A similar relationship exists between a species of moth and the plant Yucca where both species – moth and the
Plants offer FLORAL REWARDS to attract pollinators — usually NECTAR and POLLEN — but in some species the reward is a SAFE PLACE TO LAY EGGS. The NCERT example is AMORPHOPHALLUS, the TALLEST FLOWER in the world (about 6 FEET in height), which provides a safe brood site for its pollinator. A parallel obligate mutualism exists between the YUCCA PLANT and a species of MOTH — neither can complete its life cycle without the other. The moth lays its eggs in the locule of the ovary; in return the moth pollinates the flower. Both species need each other for reproduction — a textbook example of co-evolved interdependence.
Two NCERT facts to lock: (1) Amorphophallus = about 6 FEET in height (NCERT exact 'tallest flower' number). (2) Yucca-moth mutualism is OBLIGATE — without the moth, Yucca can't reproduce; without Yucca, the moth has nowhere to lay eggs. This is FLORAL REWARD by safe-egg-laying site, NOT commensalism (only one benefits) and NOT amensalism (one harmed). Wind pollination (anemophily) is irrelevant. Don't confuse Amorphophallus (tallest individual flower) with Rafflesia (largest single flower).
Amorphophallus providing a safe egg-laying site for its pollinator is an example of commensalism or amensalism.
It is a FLORAL REWARD — a mutualistic relationship where both plant and pollinator benefit. Plant gets pollination; pollinator gets safe brood site.
Amorphophallus (6 ft tallest flower) + Yucca-moth = floral reward by SAFE EGG-LAYING SITE. Mutualism, not commensalism.
- Amorphophallus = tallest flower in the world (about 6 FEET in height).
- Floral reward = safe place to lay eggs (in addition to standard rewards of nectar and pollen).
- Yucca-moth mutualism is OBLIGATE — neither can complete life cycle without the other.
- Both partners benefit: plant gets pollinated, pollinator gets safe brood site → mutualism (not commensalism).
Consider the following statements about floral rewards and pollinator mutualisms: S1: Amorphophallus, the tallest flower in the world (about 6 feet in height), provides a safe place for pollinators to lay eggs. S2: The Yucca-moth relationship is an obligate mutualism — neither partner can complete its life cycle without the other. S3: Providing a safe egg-laying site for the pollinator is an example of commensalism, where only one species benefits. S4: Standard floral rewards include nectar and pollen, in addition to specialised rewards like safe egg-laying sites. S5: Anemophily (wind pollination) is the underlying mechanism of the Amorphophallus-pollinator relationship.
View bonus solution & explanation
Correct answer: A — S1, S2 and S4
S1 CORRECT: Amorphophallus is the tallest flower, about 6 feet in height (NCERT exact). S2 CORRECT: Yucca-moth is an obligate mutualism (NCERT). S3 WRONG: Both species benefit → MUTUALISM, not commensalism. Plant gets pollination; pollinator gets brood site. S4 CORRECT: Nectar and pollen are standard rewards; safe egg-laying sites are an additional specialised reward. S5 WRONG: Anemophily = wind pollination, irrelevant here. Amorphophallus-pollinator is animal-mediated (entomophily), not anemophily.
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