Final answer:
Wind-pollinated flowers are usually small, feathery, and produce lots of pollen but lack nectar and scent. Insect-pollinated flowers are bright, nectar-rich, and scented, attracting insects for pollination. The differences cater to their respective pollination strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Wind vs. Insect Pollination
Wind pollination is a strategy used by various plants such as conifers and some angiosperms like grasses, maples, and oaks. The key characteristics of wind-pollinated flowers include being small, feathery, often green or brown, producing large amounts of powdery pollen, and typically lacking in nectar and scent to attract pollinators. Such flowers tend to emerge before the foliage in spring, allowing the wind to effectively distribute the pollen.
In contrast, insect pollination requires the attraction of insects to transfer pollen from one flower to another. Insect-pollinated flowers are adapted to this task by featuring brightly colored petals, producing nectar in most cases, and often emitting scents to attract the insects. This mutual relationship often benefits the insects by providing them with food, and the plants by ensuring the pollen reaches other flowers for fertilization.
In summary, while wind pollination doesn't rely on visual or olfactory cues for attracting pollinators and can happen over large distances, insect pollination involves various adaptations to attract and reward the animal pollinators that are essential for the pollination process.