The above foldscope picture illustrates a collection of individual pollen grains collected on May 6th, 2019 at about 2:30 P.M. They appear yellow, slightly translucent, and oval-shaped.

The flower (shown below) that the pollen is from was among a group of its own in a small tuft of grass near Broad Center at Caltech.
While the location lacked any clear source of water, it was in direct view of the sunlight present at sunset. A stamen was collected from the flower, and the pollen sample shown above was swabbed from the anther of it later on.

Judging by the appearance of the flower, it appears that the specimen is from the Daylily species (a member of the Hemerocallis genus).

A few questions come to mind when considering the photo. What is the purpose of the pollen’s shape? Does it have some sort of evolutionary advantage? The answer to this question could be derived from considering other species of flower and the shape of their respective pollen grains. In comparing this pollen with that of other species, we may be able to get a better idea on why it is shaped as such.

Additionally, why is the pollen colored yellow, and what is its anatomy? The reason for its color may be figured out from considering the type of insect that transports its pollen. It could also be figured out from considering its chemical composition.

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