Background Information

Annual vs Perennial Plants:
Annual and perennial plants differ mainly in the duration of their blooming period. The life cycle of an annual lasts only one year, after which the flower withers and the plant dies off. Perennials, on the other hand, bloom each year and live in a dormant state until blooming again the following year. 


Our Annual and Perennial species samples include Iris (Iris Hollandica), Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) and Millet (Pennisetum glaucum).


Iris: Irises are widely distributed, with native species on several continents. Their flower is effective in attracting bees due to evolutionary advances: their colorful petals easily catch a bee's attention, who then land on one of their sepals, and crawl into the flower to access the pollen. Irises are perennial plants.



Photo credit: http://larklabel.com/articles/irises.php

Snapdragon: The snapdragon plant originated in the Mediterranean area. They were first brought to the New World by colonists who planted them in their gardens. In the wild, their flowers are yellow and magenta to attract the bees that carry out their pollination. Snapdragons are annual plants.
Photo Credit: http://www.enkicharity.com/snapdragon-flower.html



Millet: Millet has a long intertwining history with humans. It was first cultivated in Asia and Africa as a food source, but also has ties to Northern Europe. Millet seeds are eaten and spread by birds. Millet is an annual plant.

Photo Credit: http://longwoodgardens.org/gardens/highlights/summer/850

Our Sources:

Basic details and differences of annual and perennial plants:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/difference-between-annuals-perennials-46015.html
Iris flowers and their history:
http://larklabel.com/articles/irises.php
General Iris flower information:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/iris/flowers.shtml
Discussion of Snapdragon's history:
http://www.gardenguides.com/126335-history-snapdragons.html
Explanation of snapdragon color and evolution:
http://phys.org/news75046528.html
Description of Millet's history and usage for food:
http://www.edenfoods.com/articles/view.php?articles_id=122
General Millet facts, especially from a management or growing perspective:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag347


General pollen and annual vs perennial comparison research:

http://www.pollen.mtu.edu/glos-gtx/glos-p5.hthttp://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/abs/2006/03/M6013/M6013.htmlhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00497-001-0124-2#page-1
https://hal.inria.fr/file/index/docid/892186/filename/hal-00892186.pdfhttp://www.hgtvgardens.com/flowering-plants/flower-power-annuals-vs-perennials