Out of Africa: evidence of the obligate mutualism between long corolla tubed plant and long-tongued fly in the Himalayas.

ABSTRACT: Mutualism between long corolla tubed plants and their potential pollinators, long-tongued flies, is a classic example of coevolution, but to date, has only been reported from the regions of southern Africa. Many plant species from the Himalayas also show botanical characteristics that could be consistent with pollination by long-tongued flies. Here, we seek the evidence of the "long-tongued-long tubed fly/flower" mutualism out of Africa, in a different continent and climatic region, the Himalayas.Floral traits of Himalayan region endemic alpine genus, Roscoea, indicate possible mutualism with long-tongued flies for pollination success; however, effective pollinators of this genus are yet unknown. This study investigates whether long-tongued flies and Roscoea purpurea in Nepal

SUBMITTER: Paudel BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6102519 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature