Subtended by the red bracts, these are the male flowers of a banana
A few feet further up on the fruiting stem (although technically 'down' as the weight of fruit has caused the stem to bend and hang upside down) are the never fully developed fingers formed by hermaphrodite flowers, and at the 'top' the green fruits formed by female flowers.
Although numerous bees were visiting and may end up transporting pollen, cultivated varieties do not require pollination to reproduce- in wild bananas, pollination is usually required so the late opening of male flowers (after female fruits have already formed) prevents self-pollination and ensures genetic diversity.
- at Sittee River Wildlife Reserve.
Photograph by David Hilmy
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