A bumble bee buzzes the inflorescences of a Pyrola picta specimen I collected from an area near the Marble Mountain wilderness in Siskiyou County. Oddly, this is the only specimen I’ve seen thus far with highly reduced female function. You can see gynoecial structures appear to be absent or highly reduced in the flowers of this individual, but the anthers are normal size and full of pollen! This bee has vibrated some of the pollen (cream-colored and dust-like) onto the orange cloth behind the plant. Can you see it?
Cool!! Did you cage that bee??
I didn’t this time. I was just preparing to put this plant into my press when she came to visit and had only my camera, no vials.