ISHS Acta Horticulturae 288: VI International Symposium on Pollination
VISITATION, FLIGHT DISTANCES AND SEED SET IN POPULATIONS OF THE RARE SPECIES PHYTEUMA NIGRUM (CAMPANULACEAE) |
| Authors: | Manja M. Kwak, C. Brand, P. Kremer, E. Boerrigter |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.1991.288.48 |
| Abstract:
Insect visitation of the rare Phyteuma nigrum was investigated in several populations in the Netherlands. Main visitors were bumblebees of only three species. They visited the flowers both for pollen and nectar. Male flowers only produced nectar, with a very variable sugar concentration due to the open presentation. P. nigrum is self-fertile, but caged flowers do not produce seeds by the absence of autodeposition. Artificial pollination showed that increasing pollination intensity increased seed set. Inflorescences received early 2–3 and late 0.2 visits per day. Among other species, Rhinanthus angustifolius is an attractive species for P. nigrum visiting bumblebees, as pollen and nectar source. Flight distance between two recaptures on the same day was 15.1 m within and 54.8 m between two meadows. Between recaptures on different days the maximum was 250 m. Although one isolated P. nigrum population was within this range, the population was visited by a completely different bumblebee population. The presence of other flowering species serving as bridge between populations is discussed. | |
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