INVESTIGADORES
GALETTO Leonardo
artículos
Título:
Pollination biology of Pseudostifftia kingii H.Rob. (Asteraceae), a rare endemic Brazilian species with uniflorous capitula.
Autor/es:
HIPÓLITO J; ROQUE N; GALETTO L; FELIPE VIANA B; KEVAN P
Revista:
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE BOTâNICA
Editorial:
Springer
Referencias:
Año: 2013 vol. 36 p. 247 - 254
ISSN:
0100-8404
Resumen:
Abstract (The pollination biology of Pseudostifftia kingii
H.Rob. (Asteraceae), a rare endemic Brazilian species with
uniflorous capitula). P. kingii is a monotypic genus within
the Asteraceae family that grows under extreme environmental
conditions and possesses an unusual single-flowered
capitulum. It is endemic to Chapada Diamantina,
Bahia, Brazil, a region dominated by a mosaic of rocky,
sandy flats and bogs in the upper elevational zone (above
900?1,000 m). To gain a better understanding of the pollination
biology of P. kingii, we examined its floral
development, floral rewards, reproductive strategies, and
floral visitors. The flowers exhibit asynchronous diurnal
anthesis with three distinct floral stages, each differing with
regard to male?female maturation and nectar availability;
these floral stages appear to influence the activity of the
flower visitors. Although several floral characteristics of P.
kingii suggest that it is an entomophilous species, observations
revealed it as a generalist species for which hummingbirds
and bees are the main floral visitors, differing
slightly in the diurnal period of their visits. P. kingii can
reproduce through xenogamy, geitonogamy, and what
appears to be allogamy, but with different sizes of fruits
(achenes) produced depending on the reproductive strategy
employed. This study revealed some important features of
pollination and floral biology within Asteraceae and provides
clues for pollen dispersion in a harsh environment.