Mt Cook lily and flies

Mt Cook lily and flies

This flower of the Mt Cook lily (Ranunculus lyallii) has the open, simple shape typically found in New Zealand flowering plants. Elsewhere, more complex flowers evolved along with specialised insect pollinators. New Zealand’s main pollinators are more generalised – flies, moths and short-tongued bees, which require easy access to flowers. White, bowl-shaped flowers attract as many insects as possible in areas where pollinators are scarce.