Abstract Detail

Recent Topics Posters

Pena, Sean Ryan [1], Barrios Roque , Beyte  [2], KOPTUR, SUZANNE [1].

Diurnal and nocturnal pollination of the rough-leaf velvetseed (Guettarda scabra).

            Guettarda scabra (rough-leaf velvetseed) is a shrub native to pine rocklands. This member of the coffee family (Rubiaceae) has white, tubular, fragrant flowers that open in the evening and are visited by moths. Flowers last for one day, and recent observations reveal that some flowers open in the morning, and that evening-opening flowers are often still fresh-looking and fragrant in the morning; butterflies visit these flowers. G. scabra flowers in May and June, with fruits developing in July-August and maturing through the fall. Hawkmoths hover over the flower and lower their proboscis into the corolla tube to collect the nectar. Butterflies collect the nectar by landing on the petals before inserting their proboscis, and may transport pollen on their bodies as well as their mouthparts. To discern which of these visitors are more important in pollinating the plants, we excluded day-time visitors from some inflorescences and night-time visitors from others (having two controls: some open all the time, some bagged all the time.  We maintained this regimen during the entire flowering period, and compared fruit set among the treatments.  Preliminary results show that the control-open inflorescences and the night-open inflorescences had substantially higher fruit set than day-open and control bagged inflorescences. These results demonstrate the primary importance of nocturnal pollination for the reproductive biology of this native pine rockland species, though diurnal visitors may also contribute to fruit production.   

1 - Florida International University, Department Of Biological Sciences, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
2 - Florida International University, Biological Sciences, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA

Keywords:
pollination
Pine Rocklands 
nocturnal pollinators
rough-leaf velvetseed
butterfly
moth
diurnal pollinators.

Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: P
Location: /
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2014
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PRT009
Abstract ID:1246
Candidate for Awards:None