Generalised pollination system of Erythrina dominguezii (Fabaceae : Papilionoideae) involving hummingbirds, passerines and bees

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ángela V. Etcheverry ◽  
Dulce Figueroa-Castro ◽  
Trinidad Figueroa-Fleming ◽  
María M. Alemán ◽  
Víctor D. Juárez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Pollen Deposition ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Hummingbird Pollination ◽  
Basal Clade ◽  
Nectar Sugar ◽  
Floral Visitors ◽  
Intermediate Value

Plants in the genus Erythrina are pollinated by birds, such that passerine pollination is the plesiomorphic state, whereas hummingbird pollination is the derived character. Phylogenetic studies suggest that Erythrina dominguezii belongs to a basal clade characterised as pollinated by both passerines and hummingbirds. Here, we characterise the pollination system of E. dominguezii. Floral morphology, nectar traits, breeding system, visitation rates and pollen deposition by its floral visitors were studied. Floral morphology of E. dominguezii showed traits associated with both passerine and hummingbird pollination. Nectar sugar concentration showed an intermediate value but closer to the hummingbird type; however, it was rich in hexose, which is typical of the passerine type. Approximately 5% of the flowers set fruits under free pollination. Almost 80% of recorded flowers were visited by birds, with the rest visited by hymenopterans (bumblebees and honeybees). Among avian pollinators, five species of hummingbirds and three passerine species were identified as pollinators. The hummingbird Chlorostilbon lucidus was the most efficient visitor in terms of pollen deposition and was second in frequency of visits. The passerine Icterus cayanensis was second in efficiency at depositing pollen and was the most frequent pollinator. Our results show that E. dominguezii has a generalised pollination system. In addition, we report a new case of closed flowers and secondary nectar presentation. This is the first study that compares effectiveness among different pollinators in Erythrina.

scholarly journals Bimodal pollination system in rare endemic Oncocyclus irises (Iridaceae) of Lebanon

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (8) ◽  
pp. 1327-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Monty ◽  
Layla Saad ◽  
Grégory Mahy
Keyword(s):  
Pollen Load ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Floral Visitors ◽  
Potential Adaptation ◽  
Night And Day ◽  
Pollination Systems ◽  
Rare Endemic ◽  
Plant Pollinator ◽  
Principal Advantage

Pollination systems based on indirect rewards, such as heat and shelter, have seldom been studied. Plant–pollinator interactions were characterized in Iris cedretii Dinsmore ex Chaudhary and Iris sofarana subsp. kasruwana Dinsmore ex Chaudhary, rare endemic Lebanese Oncocyclus irises exhibiting potential adaptation to shelter pollination. Despite a diversity of floral visitors (47 species), only two groups of Anthophoridae male bees ( Xylocopa spp. and Eucera spp.) could be considered as efficient pollinators on the basis of frequency of visits, visiting behaviour, and pollen load. Lebanese Oncocyclus irises showed a bimodal pollination system with (1) diurnal visits at low rates but with potentially large pollen transfers by Xylocopa bees, exhibiting a foraging-like behaviour, principally during warm periods of the day and (2) sheltering, especially Eucera male bees, during night and day when the weather is changeable. Refuge occurrence in flowers was more important during the night (27%) than during the day (12%) and, for daytime, during cloudy or windy than sunny conditions. It also varied depending on the exposure of floral tunnels. Visitation rates of both day-visiting Xylocopa and night-sheltering Eucera were negatively associated with an increase of the number of flowers per clump. No experimental evidence was found showing that the principal advantage for male bees to shelter in Iris flowers was to fly earlier in the morning.

Evolution of floral morphology and pollination system in Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae)

2010 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 782-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzana Alcantara ◽  
Lúcia G. Lohmann
Keyword(s):  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Pollination System

Floral biology of Hemigenia and Microcorys (Lamiaceae)

2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Guerin
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Corolla Tube ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Pollen Deposition ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Bird Pollination ◽  
Insect Pollinators

The floral morphology and pollination of Hemigenia R.Br. and Microcorys R.Br. (Lamiaceae) were examined in the field and laboratory. The protandrous flowers have tubular, two-lipped corollas. Nine floral morphotypes are described. The stamens may be completely sterile (staminodal) or have one theca reduced or absent. The anthers typically have elongated connective tissue and are mobile on the filament. When the lower end of the anther is pushed, the upper end is levered towards the mouth of the corolla tube, hence dusting the pollinator precisely where receptive stigmas will later touch. Bearding on the anthers of the adaxial stamens catches adjacent anthers so that they lever in unison. Staminodes guide insect pollinators into the throat to allow precise pollen dusting. Detailed field observations show that bees and flies are the principle pollinators of most species. Floral morphologies are related to pollinator castes, and reproductive isolation and efficiency is enhanced by precise pollen deposition. Bird pollination is likely to have arisen independently in several taxa. The floral arrangement of these taxa is superficially similar but the syndrome is achieved through different anatomy.

scholarly journals Nocturnal and diurnal pollination in Copaifera coriacea, a dominant species in sand dunes of the Middle São Francisco River Basin, Northeastern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-216
Author(s):  
Isys Mascarenhas Souza ◽  
Frederic Mendes Hughes ◽  
Ligia Silveira Funch ◽  
Luciano Paganucci de Queiroz
Keyword(s):  
Uv Light ◽  
Pollen Viability ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Pollen Tubes ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Stigma Receptivity ◽  
Flower Opening ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Floral Visitors

Background and aims – Copaifera coriacea, a species in the resin-producing clade Detarioideae (Leguminosae), is an endemic and abundant species found in sand dunes in Brazilian Caatinga domain vegetation – a Quaternary paleodesert. We investigated floral traits and aspects of pollination biology, focusing on the pollination system of C. coriacea. Material and methods – Anthesis duration, stigma receptivity, pollen viability, nectar concentration, and the presence of osmophores and pigments reflecting UV light were assessed. Floral visitors were classified as potential pollinators, occasional pollinators or thieves, based on the time and foraging behaviour and resource collected. Pollination effectiveness were assessed for potential pollinators by the detection of pollen tubes on the stigma or stylar canal by epifluorescence microscopy.Key results – The species has white and small flowers, with anthesis beginning in the dark (ca 00:30) and the flowers are completely opened approximately 3 h later, when a sweet odour is perceptible. The onset of stigma receptivity and pollen grain viability occurs only after the completion of flower opening, and a concentrated nectar is available during the day. The presence of pollen tubes confirmed the efficiency of the main insects in the transfer of pollen. Conclusion – Our result demonstrates that C. coriacea has a generalist pollination system mediated mainly by two distinct guilds of insect pollinators: moths (nocturnal, searching for nectar) and bees (diurnal, pollen collectors). This finding can provide more information about diversification in the genus Copaifera.

scholarly journals Do abundance and proximity of the alien Impatiens glandulifera affect pollination and reproductive success of two sympatric co-flowering native species?

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 130-139
Author(s):  
Valérie Cawoy ◽  
Mathieu Jonard ◽  
Carolin Mayer ◽  
Anne-Laure Jacquemart
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Pollen Deposition ◽  
Impatiens Glandulifera ◽  
Insect Behaviour ◽  
Native Flora ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Aconitum Napellus ◽  
Negative Effect

In invasion ecology, potential impacts of aliens on native flora are still under debate. Our aim was to determine the pollinator mediated effects of both proximity and abundance of an alien species on the reproductive success of natives. We chose the highly invasive Impatiens glandulifera and two native species: Epilobium angustifolium and Aconitum napellus ssp. lusitanicum. These species share characteristics allowing for pollination interactions: similar biotopes, overlapping flowering periods and same main pollinators. The effects of abundance (5, 25 and 100 individuals) and proximity (0 and 15 m) of the alien on visitation rate, insect behaviour, pollen deposition and reproductive success of both natives were investigated during 2 flowering seasons. We used centred visitation rates as they can be directly interpreted as a positive or negative effect of the invasive.Both abundance and proximity of the alien increased bumblebee visitation rates to both natives. On the other hand, abundance of the exotic species had a slight negative effect on honeybee visits to natives while its proximity had no effect. The behaviour of bumblebees changed as visitors left significantly more often the native plants for I. glandulifera when its abundance increased. As a consequence of this “inconstancy”, bees deposited considerable quantities of alien pollen on native stigmas. Nevertheless, this interspecific pollen transfer did not decrease seed set in natives. Self-compatibility and high attractiveness of both native species probably alleviate the risk of altered pollinator services and reproductive success due to the invader in natural populations.

Is floral morphology a good predictor of floral visitors to Antirrhineae (snapdragons and relatives)?

Plant Biology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Guzmán ◽  
J. M. Gómez ◽  
P. Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Good Predictor ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Floral Visitors

scholarly journals Pollination success in three tropical dry forest orchid species from Mexico: insights from floral display, visitation rates, and flower micromorphology

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazmín M. Miranda-Molina ◽  
Edgar J. González ◽  
Judith Márquez-Guzmán ◽  
Jorge Meave ◽  
Eduardo A. Pérez García
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Dry Forest ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Linear Modeling ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Orchid Pollination ◽  
Floral Micromorphology ◽  
Floral Visitors

Background: Despite long-lasting efforts to disentangle the drivers of orchid pollination, pollination success in tropical dry forest orchids remains largely unknown. Questions and hypothesis: How successful are pollination in three tropical dry forest orchids? How is pollination influenced by floral display and floral rewards (as suggested by floral micromorphology)? We hypothesized a positive effect of floral display on pollinia removal and deposition rates. Studied species: Barkeria whartoniana (C. Schweinf.) Soto Arenas, Clowesia dodsoniana E. Aguirre, and Cyrtopodium macrobulbon (La Llave & Lex.) G.A. Romero & Carnevali. Study site and dates: Nizanda (Oaxaca), Mexico; flowering periods of 2013 and 2014. Methods: We calculated pollinia removal and deposition rates, identified floral visitors and analyzed flower microstructure to search for structures potentially producing rewards. Floral display was measured through number of open flowers, and number and length of inflorescences, and its effect on pollination success was assessed through linear modeling. Results: Pollinia removal rates were higher than deposition rates, and floral display was related to pollination success in C. dodsoniana only. Visitation rates were low for the three species and most visitors were not true pollinators. The three species possess potentially secreting structures, but for B. whartoniana and C. macrobulbon these rewards are likely part of the pollinator deception mechanism. Conclusions: The generalized low pollination success implies the need for high population densities of both interacting parts. We emphasize the need for integrated evaluations of different aspects of the plant-pollinator interaction.

scholarly journals Pollination and breeding system of Couepia uiti (Mart. and Zucc.) Benth (Chrysobalanaceae) in the Pantanal da Nhecolândia

2007 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
HF Paulino-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
Maximum Volume ◽  
Abrupt Increase ◽  
Nectar Production ◽  
Controlled Pollination ◽  
Nectar Sugar ◽  
Floral Visitors ◽  
Pollen Release

The pollination biology and breeding system of Couepia uiti was studied. In this species, flowers opened at 06:00 AM anthesis, and nectar production began at around 0800 h, reached a maximum volume from 09:30 AM to 10:30 AM, and decreased thereafter. The nectar sugar concentration increased continuously, but showed an abrupt increase from 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM. Pollen release occurred at about 09:30 AM and was quickly collected. The stigmas became receptive at around 12:00 AM. The pollinators of C. uiti included the bees Apis mellifera, Xylocopa sp. and Bombus sp., and three species of wasps. This conclusion was based on the observation that these hymenopterans had C. uiti pollen on their bodies, visited the receptive flowers, and touched the anthers and stigmas, thereby promoting pollination. Of these floral visitors, A. mellifera was considered to be the most efficient pollinator. However, mixed pollination also occurred. The number of C. uiti flowers visited in the morning (n = 52) was three times smaller than in the afternoon (n = 62), and the species richness of floral visitors was also bigger in the afternoon (eight in the afternoon versus five in the morning). This finding indicated that these floral visitors preferred to exploit nectar rather than pollen. Controlled pollination experiments showed that C. uiti was a self-incompatible species that produced fruits only by cross-pollination. Treatments such as agamospermy and spontaneous and self-pollinations did not produce fruits.

scholarly journals The phylogenetic significance of the morphology of the syrinx, hyoid and larynx, of the Southern Cassowary, Casuarius casuarius (Aves, Palaeognathae)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phoebe Louise McInerney ◽  
Michael S. Y. Lee ◽  
Alice M. Clement ◽  
Trevor H. Worthy
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Morphological Character ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Basal Clade ◽  
Casuarius Casuarius ◽  
Molecular Trees

Abstract Background: The Palaeognathae are a basal clade within Aves and include the large and flightless ratites and the smaller, volant tinamous. Although much research has been conducted on various aspects of palaeognath morphology, ecology, and evolutionary history, there are still areas which require investigation. This study aimed to fill gaps in our knowledge of the Southern Cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, for which information on the skeletal systems of the syrinx, hyoid and larynx is lacking - despite these structures having been recognised as performing key functional roles associated with vocalisation, respiration and feeding. Previous research into the syrinx and hyoid have also indicated these structures to be valuable for determining evolutionary relationships among neognath taxa, and thus suggest they would also be informative for palaeognath phylogenetic analyses, which still exhibits strong conflict between morphological and molecular trees. Results: The morphology of the syrinx, hyoid and larynx of C. casuarius is described from CT scans. The syrinx is of the simple tracheo-bronchial syrinx type, lacking specialised elements such as the pessulus; the hyoid is relatively short with longer ceratobranchials compared to epibranchials; and the larynx is comprised of entirely cartilaginous, standard avian anatomical elements including a concave, basin-like cricoid and fused cricoid wings. As in the larynx, both the syrinx and hyoid lack ossification and all three structures were most similar to Dromaius. We documented substantial variation across palaeognaths in the skeletal character states of the syrinx, hyoid, and larynx, using both the literature and novel observations (e.g. of C. casuarius). Notably, new synapomorphies linking Dinornithiformes and Tinamidae are identified, consistent with the molecular evidence for this clade. These shared morphological character traits include the ossification of the cricoid and arytenoid cartilages, and an additional cranial character, the articulation between the maxillary process of the nasal and the maxilla. Conclusion: Syrinx, hyoid and larynx characters of palaeognaths display greater concordance with molecular trees than do other morphological traits. These structures might therefore be less prone to homoplasy related to flightlessness and gigantism, compared to typical morphological traits emphasised in previous phylogenetic studies. Key Words: Palaeognathae, Cassowary, Syrinx, Hyoid, Larynx, Morphology, Phylogenetics, Optimisation

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