Sir Joseph Banks and Solander collected five Australian species of TRIGGER PLANTS during their enforced stay at the Endeavour River in 1770.

Trigger Plant - Stylidium eriorrhizum - Photo by Bill Hinton

Pollination of these tiny but beautiful flowers is an interesting process. Insects are attracted to the flower by the nectar. When contact is made by insect with the base of the column, the column springs over and the stamens make contact with the visitors back (not always too gently as small insects have been stunned by the impact). The insect becomes dusted with pollen.

As the flower ages, the pollen bearing stamens are pushed aside and the sticky stigma is exposed. Now when a pollen dusted insect activates the column, the pollen from the other flower is transferred to the stigma and so self pollination is averted.