pollination in aquatic plants

[eub]

So many aquatics seem to prefer to reproduce asexually. Is waterborne pollination that much chancier than airborne? Or, hm, my impression is that even aquatics with aerial flowers have an asexual tilt, so maybe it's not about the pollination?

I should find this paper Evolution of Aquatic Angiosperm Reproductive Systems:

Why do most aquatic plants reproduce asexually? [...] Why and how did hydrophily (water pollination) evolve, and why are only 5% of aquatic plants hydrophilous? The authors discuss hydrophily at length.

Also, do any plants use aquatic creatures as pollinators? Why the heck not? It would please me.

Comments

Re: whole cloth

[eub.livejournal.com]

The free-swimming gametes are an interesting strategy. Popular among marine animals, IIRC. So now I wonder if that would work for plants. But I suppose that technology's not in their lineage, is it.

Huh, ginkgos have flagellated sperm cells? Cool.

I might see about engineering my plants to use eelgrass-style mucus-pollen composite to try to stick to bearers.