Are the floral morphology and anatomy of Galphimia australis, an atypical neotropical Malpighiaceae, associated to a new pollination syndrome?

ALISCIONI, S.; GOTELLI, M.; TORRETTA, J. P.; KUO, P. T.

PROTOPLASMA

SPRINGER WIEN

Año: 2022

0033-183X

The fowers of the species of Malpighiaceae in the Neotropical Region are relatively uniform in their morphology due to their dependence on oil-collecting bees as their main pollinators. However, many species of the genus Galphimia seem to have acquired a diferent foral syndrome, lacking markedly zygomorphic fowers and developed elaiophores in the calyx. Likewise, these species present anthers with great development, probably in response to the selection of pollinators thatcollect pollen. Galphimia australis incorporated some of these traits but also retained some residual characteristics typical of species pollinated by oil bees. This leads to many questions on how these fowers ensure their pollination. Inquiring about the reduction or modifcation of these characteristics allows us to understand how G. australis achieves a diferent pollination syndrome. In this research, we carry out a detailed morphological and anatomical study of the fowers and pollen grain devolvement of G. australis and foral visitors were observed and captured. Results were analyzed in order to determine how this species changed from the oil-foral syndrome, typical of neotropical Malpighiaceae, to one syndrome with pollen as the main reward.