Dr. Irene Terry recently offered a lecture at Montgomery, titled: Pollination biology of the Australian cycad Macrozamia lucida and Guam’s Cycas micronesica.
Dr. Terry is an expert on cycad pollination biology, and has closely studied the mutual relationship between cycads and their pollinators. Through innovative methods, Dr. Terry has advanced our understanding of how cycads attract pollinators, and has brought to light aspects of cycad cone biology. Cycad cones sometimes produce abundant volatile compounds, which give them sometimes very distinctive fragrances. Additionally, the cones heat up significantly during the reproductive phase, which facilitates attracting the pollinators. Quoting from Dr. Terry’s recent research: “the reproductive organs of some plants self-heat, release scent, and attract pollinators. The relations among these processes are not well understood, especially in the more ancient, nonflowering gymnosperm lineages.”
Dr. Terry’s visit to MBC is sponsored by the Kelly Foundation, as part of the Kelly Research Fellows Program, and with the support of the City of Coral Gables.