Hornung et al. 2015 (Conference Paper) Puya

Nectar and pollinators in species of Puya

Author(s):—C.T. Hornung L., P. González G. & A. Troncoso in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—Five Andean Puya species (P. alpestris, P. chilensis, P. coerulea, P. raimondii and P. venusta) were studied to determine the relationship between their avian visitors and plant morphology and nectar characteristics. Our results showed significant relationships between nectar concentration, presence of sterile apex and avian pollinator species. In contrast, nectar composition was not related to the frequency of avian visits. We found that Puya species are mainly visited by specialist nectarivorous birds such as hummingbirds (e.g., P. coerulea and P. venusta), lacked a sterile apex and produced high nectar concentration in low volumes. In contrast, species mainly visited by generalist passerine birds (e.g., Puya chilensis and P. alpestris) were characterizedby the presence of a sterile apex and production of highly diluted nectar in large volumes. In a mono-specific group we found that P. raimondii produces highly concentrated nectar in large volumes, and its flowers were visited by hummingbirds and passerine birds. We found no effect of nectar composition on avian visits. Our study highlights the interplay between morphological traits, nectar characteristics and ecological framework to explain specialist and generalist bird pollination systems.

Keywords:—Pollination; Puya; Hummingbirds.