Mechanistic implications for pollination in the marine angiosperm Zostera marina

Abstract Zostera marina L. must pollinate underwater. In an attempt to understand this undescribed process, hydrophily, current-flow patterns were examined both around carpellate flowers in the laboratory and a community in the field. A description of these patterns of flow is essential as a first approximation to understanding actual pollen transport and capture. Boundary layer effects were observed at all levels of examination and have potentially profound effects on the biology of eelgrass reproduction. The boundary layer-induced velocity gradients brought about by the morphological features of the community may lead to a concentration of pollen releasing- and receptive-organs. Carpellate flowers influence large areas through boundary layer effects and probably act as pollen-filters.