SEA-ROSE

The sea-rose is found along the coast of the south western Cape, from Lambert's Bay to George. Their habitat is near the sea shore or in marshy brackish flats. In Rooiels they flower abundantly in the Reserve and Estuary. Each showy flower has 5 broad, glossy, pink, slightly sticky petals. Sometimes they are white. The anthers are bright, yellow and coiled like barley-sugar sticks. There are openings at the ends.

BUZZ POLLINATION

The plants are pollinated by carpenter bees when anthers open in response to the buzz of the bees' wings to the tune of C. (It has been tested with a tuning fork)! This is called buzz pollination and prevents pollen from flying all over the place in the famous Rooiels winds.

Only the female carpenter bees can buzz to C, causing the anthers to open the pores and the bee can shake out the pollen, very much like using a salt shaker.