The predictive power of pollination syndromes: Passerine pollination in heterantherous Meriania macrophylla (Benth.) Triana (Melastomataceae).

ABSTRACT: The cloud forest species Meriania macrophylla (Benth.) Triana has pseudocampanulate flowers with bulbous stamen appendages, typical for the passerine pollination syndrome found in the Melastomataceae tribe Merianieae. The species is further characterized by strong stamen dimorphism (heteranthery), a condition otherwise associated with pollen-rewarding bee-pollinated species (both in Melastomataceae and beyond). In passerine-pollinated Merianieae, however, flowers usually only show weak stamen dimorphism. Here, we conducted field and laboratory investigations to determine the pollinators of M. macrophylla and assess the potential role of strong heteranthery in this species. Our field observations in Costa Rica confirmed syndrome predictions and indeed proved pollination by pas

SUBMITTER: Valverde-Espinoza JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8525179 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature