Cattleya cernua Cattleya cernua Cattleya cernua, commonly known as the Nodding Sophronitis, is a species of orchid occurring from Brazil to northeastern Argentina. It was the type species of the genus "Sophronitis" until the genus was made synonymous with "Cattleya". Twenty plants of "C. cernua" have received a total of 22 AOS awards. The described flowers range from 1.9 cm to 3.2 cm horizontal spread and from 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm vertical spread. In nature, "Cattleya cernua" is pollinated by hummingbirds drawn to the blooms' warm colors. The orchid's cryptic pollinia (masses of pollen which adhere together) provide an interesting adaptation
Flowering plant in atmospheric CO concentrations, and allowed the flowering plants to outcompete other land plants. It is generally assumed that the function of flowers, from the start, was to involve mobile animals in their reproduction processes. That is, pollen can be scattered even if the flower is not brightly colored or oddly shaped in a way that attracts animals; however, by expending the energy required to create such traits, angiosperms can enlist the aid of animals and, thus, reproduce more efficiently. Island genetics provides one proposed explanation for the sudden, fully developed appearance of flowering plants. Island genetics is believed to