Resumen

HERNANDEZ-RAMIREZ, Angélica María. Looking for an efficient pollinator: temporal variation in floral visitor guild and stigmatic pollen loads in a distylous Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae). Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2018, vol.89, n.2, pp.412-420. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e.2018.2.2369.

Distylous species exhibit a reciprocal stigma and anther heights of floral morphs. The adaptive significance of stigma-anther polymorphism is to enhance pollen transfer between morphs. The temporal variation in the pollinator guild and the pattern of pollen deposition in Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae) were studied. Thirty focal plants per morph were used to study pollen loads and behavior of floral visitors at the begging, blossom, and ending of flowering season. A variable pattern of pollen loads by changes in floral visitor guild and behavior over time was observed. At the beginning and blossom of flowering season, the butterflies deposited a high proportion of illegitimate pollen on Pin (0.19-0.32), whereas bees and hummingbirds deposited a high proportion of legitimate pollen on Thrum (0.55-0.67). At the end of the flowering season, both morphs received a similar amount of pollen loads and a similar proportion of legitimate pollen by hummingbirds (8.0-12.0 number of pollen grains y 0.29-0.32 proportion of legitimate pollen, respectively). The results obtained in this study highlight the importance of recognizing the reproductive traits of Pin and Thrum at the population level (complementarity). Furthermore, looking for an “efficient pollinator” in heterostylous species with generalized pollinator systems may be artificial and it needs to be re-evaluated at the conceptual and methodological levels.

Palabras llave : Tropical montane forest; Pollen load; Foraging behavior; Heterostyly; Legitimate pollen.

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