ABSTRACT
Sex is nearly universal in the biological world. Even the bacterium E. coli, a uni cellular prokaryote that reproduces asexually by rapid cell division, engages peri odically in conjugation to exchange genetic material between individual cells and produce recombinant progeny. In plants and animals, sexual reproduction becomes increasingly prevalent as organisms become more complex, and diverse strategies are employed to ensure mating success. As an interesting example, bee orchids have evolved flowers that resemble female bees and scents that mimic virgin bee pheromone, such that they attract male bees to ‘mate’ with their flow ers (Figure 9-1) and carry the orchid pollen from flower to flower. Thus, the bee orchid capitalizes on the bee’s sexual behaviors to facilitate its own sexual reproduction.
