Title
Bee pollination in Syagrus orinocensis (Arecaceae) in the Colombian orinoquia
DOI
https://doi.org/10.15446/abc.v22n2.58925
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2017
Publication Title
Acta Biologica Colombiana
Abstract
The pollination ecology of the Syagrus orinocensis was studied in the course of three consecutive yearly flowering seasons in a foothill forest in Casanare, Colombian Orinoco region. Syagrus orinocensis palms grow up to 10 m high and produce one to four bisexual, occasionally unisexual, inflorescences. The bisexual inflorescences bear staminate and pistillate flowers arranged in triads, whereas the unisexual inflorescences carry only staminate flowers in dyads. The inflorescences are protandric and open during daytime, remaining active for 26 days. The male phase extends for the first 15 days, which are followed by 8 days of an inactive phase; the pistillate phase lasts up to three days. The inflorescences of S. orinocensis were visited by 43 species of insects belonging to the orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera. The presence of anthophilous insects was primarily restricted to the male phase of anthesis, during which the visitors searched for pollen and breeding sites; those which visited inflorescences during the female phase seeked out nectar. The most effective pollinators of S. orinocensis were stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), as they transferred in average 83% of the pollen that reached receptive inflorescences. The presence, constancy and efficiency of stingless bees during this study constitute solid evidence of melittophily in S. orinocensis and allows us to propose criteria to redefine this pollination syndrome in Neotropical wild palms.
Volume
22
Issue
2
First Page
221
Last Page
233
ISSN
0120548X
Recommended Citation
Nuñez Avellaneda, Luis Alberto and Carreño, Javier Isnardo, "Bee pollination in Syagrus orinocensis (Arecaceae) in the Colombian orinoquia" (2017). Scopus Unisalle. 320.
https://ciencia.lasalle.edu.co/scopus_unisalle/320
Identifier
SCOPUS_ID:85020117849