Bract size affects resource availability and fruit set in a hummingbird-pollinated plant with distyly polymorphism.

ABSTRACT: Plants can use non-floral signals to advertise the presence of resources to pollinators. The distylous Psychotria poeppigiana (Rubiaceae) has reddish bracts with small yellow flowers. Similar to other bracted plants with inconspicuous flowers, such bracts may signal the presence of nectar to pollinators. We investigated whether bracts act as honest signals in P. poeppigiana and how variation in bract traits affects floral reward and fructification. We asked: (1) Is there a relation between attractive traits (i.e. bracts and flowers) and the availability (quantity) and quality of the resource offered? (2) Do bract traits influence fructification rate? We hypothesized that bracts act as an honest signal to pollinators, being positively associated with nectar quantity and quality. If the sign

SUBMITTER: Trevizan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12631528 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature