 
The Journey of Pollens
Packaged Genes
 Pollen,
a fine powdery substance, is first produced in flowers' male
reproductive organs, and then moves to the outer part of the
flower. Having reached there it begins to mature and becomes
ready to fertilize the next generation. This is the first
stage in the life of pollen.
In the process of dispersal, the first stage in the fertilization
process, the pollen may stick to the body of a bee, butterfly,
or other insect, and have itself carried that way, or may
be borne along by air currents.
Pollens Which Open Their Sails to the Wind
 Plants
such as oak, willow, poplar, pines, grasses, wheat, etc. are
wind pollinated. The wind takes the minute particles from
the plants, carries them to other plants of the same species,
and thus ensures fertilization.
There are still many questions which scientists awaiting
answers regarding wind pollination. For example, how does
each of the thousands of varieties of pollen borne by the
wind recognize plants of its own species? How is it that the
pollen given off by the plant manage to reach the plant's
female organs without getting stuck anywhere? Although the
probabilities of fertilization are quite low, how is it that
thousands of plants are fertilized in this way, and furthermore
have been for millions of years?
It is discovered that wind pollinated plants have aerodynamic
flower structures to enable them to attract large quantities
of pollen from the air. The best example of this is to be
seen in pine cones.
Aerodynamic cones
In trees with cones, known for their long lives and height,
the cones form male and female structures. Male and female
cones can be on different trees as well as on the same tree.
There are specially designed channels on the cones to draw
to themselves the currents which carry the pollen. The pollen
can easily reach the reproductive areas, thanks to these channels.
In addition, the scales of the female cone are covered with
sticky hairs. Thanks to these hairs, the pollen can easily
be taken inside for fertilization. After fertilization, the
female cones turn into wooden structures containing a seed.
Later on, the seeds bring forth new plants under suitable
conditions. Female cones also possess another striking property.
The area where the egg forms (ovule) is very close to the
centre of the cone. It would apparently be difficult for the
pollen to reach this area. Because, in order to reach the
inner part of the cone, it has to enter a special path which
leads to the centre. Although at first sight this looks as
if it might be a disadvantage to the fertilization of cones,
this is not the case.
It was discovered that cones altered the movement of the
wind in three ways. First, the direction of the wind is turned
towards the centre by means of the leaves. Then later, the
wind in this region is twisted and pulled into the area where
the eggs are formed. In the second movement, the wind, which
spins like a whirlpool and touches all the little casings,
is then directed towards the region which opens to the centre
of the cone. Thirdly, thanks to its protuberances which give
rise to small currents, the cone turns the wind downwards
and directs it towards the casings.
 Thanks
to these movements most of the pollen in the air reaches the
desired destination.
Pine trees have other features which speed up the trapping
of pollens. For example, female cones are generally formed
at the tips of branches. This reduces the loss of pollen to
a minimum.
Moreover, the leaves around the cones help more pollen to
fall on the cones by reducing the speed of the air currents.
The symmetrical arrangement of the leaves around the cones
assists in the trapping of pollens coming from all directions.
Like all pollens, pine pollens have different shapes, sizes,
and densities according to their species. For example, the
pollen of one species are of a density that prevents them
from following the air currents set up by cones of another
species. For this reason they leave the current set up by
the cone and fall to the ground. All varieties of cone set
up air currents most suited to their own species of pollen.
This feature of cones does not just serve to trap pollens.
Plants use this filtration of the air currents for very different
functions. For example, by this method female cones are able
to change the direction of fungus pollens which could damage
their egg cells.
By means of these pre-arrangements, pollens can go some considerable
distances. The distance varies with the species. For example,
pollens with air sacs can travel much greater distances than
other species. It has been established that pine pollens with
two such air sacs can be carried up to 300 kilometers on high
air currents. Equally important is the fact that thousands
of varieties of pollen travel such distances in the air, carried
on the same wind, but without any confusion between them.
Another important point in the fertilization of pine trees
is the wind's being kept under control. The winds' performing
their transport duties in such a flawless way is without doubt
due to God, the Lord of all the worlds Who directs the whole
affair from heavens to Earth. God refers to this in a verse:
And We send the fecundating winds... (Qur'an,
15:22)
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