Have been wanting to show this comparison for a few years now. Canna pollen is spherical when fresh, & angular or deflated when dry. The aerodynamic smoothness is a genetically inherited trait that facilitates wind dispersal. While insect-pollinated plants have ornate, spiky, or sticky pollen that is meant to cling to pollinators . If you’re wondering: “Do different species of plants have different shaped pollen?” Yeah they do. Similar to seeds and mushroom spores, pollen is shaped uniquely to different kinds of plants. Scientist can determine the species of a plant by the size and shape of its pollen. Check out the image of Lily pollen below, with a collage of grain types below that.
Lily Pollen
Different textures and shapes on various pollen grain types.