Abstract
Phenology, inflorescence behavior, and pollination of 10 sympatric taxa ofBactris were studied in a lowland Amazon forest. Taxa flowered over an eight month period during the rainy season and early dry season, but individual taxa flowered for one to a few months. Related taxa had mostly non-overlapping flowering periods. Inflorescence behavior was similar for all taxa, with nocturnal pistillate anthesis and temperature elevation, followed 24 hours later by rapid, nocturnal staminate anthesis. Pollinators of all taxa were small weevilsPhyllotrox (Curculionidae) and nitidulidsColopterus (Nitidulidae), although various other insect visitors were recorded. Large numbers ofPhyllotrox were recorded on inflorescences, but weevil sex ratios were highly skewed.
Resumen
A fenologia, padrão de abertura da inflorescência e polinização de 10 espécies simpátricas deBactris foram estudadas em florestas de terras baixas da Amazônia. A floração se estendeu durante um período de oito meses durante a estação chuvosa e inicio da estação seca, porém algumas espécies floresceram durante um ou alguns meses. O período de floração de espécies relacionadas foi quase sempre não coincidente. O padrão de abertura das inflorescências foi similar em quase todas as espécies. A antesis das flores pistiladas ocorreu à noite acompanhada de uma elevação da temperatura e uma rápida natesis noturna das flores estaminadas nas 24 horas seguintes. Os polinizadores em todas as espécies eram pequenos besourosPhyllotrox (Curculionidae) e nitidulidsColopterus (Nitidulidae), porém outros insetos visitantes foram observados. Grande número dePhyllotrox foi observado nas inflorescências, porém a proporção entre machos e fêmeas foi muito desigual.
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Henderson, A., Pardini, R., Dos Santos Rebello, J.F. et al. Pollination of Bactris (Palmae) in an Amazon forest. Brittonia 52, 160–171 (2000). https://doi.org/10.2307/2666507
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2666507