Abstract
Thelymitra antennifera is found to be a general mimic of the search image of other co-blooming yellow or cream-flowered species including members of the following genera:Hibbertia, Goodenia and, to a lesser extent,Helichrysum, Pimelia andStackhousia. The most common pollinators areLasioglossum (Chilalictus) spec. and the introducedSyrphus damaster (hover fly) as well as a solitary wasp,Eurys spec.—T. antennifera acts by deceit, involving opticals (yellow colour and pollen imitation) as well as olfactory (sweet odour) signals. Capsule production is low and density dependent, a situation demonstrated in other species which have evolved pollination syndromes involving deceitful mimicry.
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Dafni, A., Calder, D.M. Pollination by deceit and floral mimesis inThelymitra antennifera (Orchidaceae). Pl Syst Evol 158, 11–22 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936140
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936140