What is the main purpose of the lever mechanism in the Salvia flower?
To attract bees with its fragrance
To protect the stamens and pistil from damage
To prevent self-pollination
To facilitate the transfer of pollen onto the bee's back
The lever mechanism in Salvia flowers is designed to ensure effective pollination by bees. When bees enter the flower to reach the nectar, they inadvertently push against the lower anther lobes, which brings down the fertile anther lobes and dusts the bee's back with pollen. This mechanism enables efficient pollen transfer when the bee moves on to another Salvia flower, ultimately facilitating cross-pollination.
Option 4 is the correct answer