An ultrasound-absorbing inflorescence zone enhances echo-acoustic contrast of bat-pollinated cactus flowers.

ABSTRACT: Flowering plants have evolved an extraordinary variety of signalling traits to attract their pollinators. Most flowers rely on visual and chemical signals, but some bat-pollinated plants have evolved passive acoustic floral signals. All known acoustic flower signals rely on the same principle of increased sonar reflectivity. Here, we describe a novel mechanism that relies on increased absorption of the area surrounding the flower. In a bat-pollinated cactus (Espostoa frutescens) we found a hairy inflorescence zone, a so-called cephalium. Flowers solely emerge out of this zone. We measured the echoes of cephalia, flowers and unspecialized column surfaces and recorded echolocation calls of approaching bats. We found that the cephalium acts as a strong ultrasound absorber, attenuating the sou

SUBMITTER: Simon R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10038143 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature