I'm headed to Antarctica! I'll be seeing more whales and penguins than plant life but this is an something I read by Caitlyn Bishop so I hope to see and identify these: The Flowering Plants of Antarctica:
Although Antarctica is a cold, dry, and desolate place, life always finds a way. Currently, there are only two known species of flowering plants found on the continent:
Antarctic hair grass (Deschamsia antarctica) grows primarily in the Antarctic Peninsula in small, concentrated tufts throughout rocky areas. These plants are most commonly seen amongst penguin colonies, and can withstand high amounts of disturbance without withering away. During their short growing period in summer, they must endure quite a bit of abuse from, the incautious nature of elephant seals, high wind speeds, and the many tonnes of penguin manure that are produced from the breeding colonies. Still, they stand strong at less than a foot in diameter. Their complex and deep root system keeps them well anchored within their habitats, and allows them to easily absorb water and nutrients from their environment. In the wintertime, the hair grass looses its long, slender, green leaves, and can withstand freezing temperatures without completely dying.
Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) has a more cushion-like appearance and can grow up to a whopping five centimeters in height! Unlike the hairgrass, the pearlwort has small, yellow flowers that it very proudly displays. The pearlwort can be most commonly found in rocky areas in the coastal regions of the continent.
Since there aren't any flies, bees, or birds to help out with the pollination process, both plants rely on the wind to help them pollinate. There's no shortage of wind during the summer time, making their reproductive processes extremely simple. Additionally, both plants are self-pollinators, meaning that they don't rely on other plants to help them reproduce. All they need is the wind to bring pollen from one small flower to the next flower on the same plant. This is an adaptation that has most likely evolved in response to a harsh climate, where plants are often widely spaced.
