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Settling moths as potential pollinators of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae)

2016; Institute of Entomology; Volume: 113; Linguagem: Inglês

10.14411/eje.2016.065

1802-8829

Daichi Funamoto, Shinji Sugiura,

Alkaloids: synthesis and pharmacology

Results from these studies suggest that diurnal short-tongued insects are major pollinators of Uncaria species.In the genus Uncaria, male reproductive organs are known to mature before female reproductive organs (i.e., protandry;Raju & Rao, 2016).Uncaria rhynchophylla presents its pollen to vectors on structures other than anthers and in this case the pollen grains are attached to immature stylar heads; a phenomenon referred to as secondary pollen presentation (Fig. 1B; Raju & Rao, 2016).The styles of U. rhynchophylla are exerted from corolla tubes (Fig. 1B-C ;Ridsdale, 1978).Therefore, U. rhynchophylla could be pollinated by many different types of insects independent of their morphology.However, U. rhynchophylla has medium-tubed (6-8 mm long) fl owers (Ridsdale, 1978), which indicates that U. rhynchophylla fl owers may attract medium-tongued moths as well as diurnal visitors.To test this prediction, we conducted daytime and night-time observations of U. rhynchophylla fl owers on the island of Awajishima in central Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODSField observations were conducted in a warm-temperate forest in Chikusa, Sumoto City, Awajishima, Hyogo Prefecture (34°17´N, 134°52´E, 140 m a.s.l.).There were many evergreen species of trees, such as Distylium racemosum Sieb.et Zucc., Cinnamomum yabunikkei H. Ohba and Diospyros japonica Sieb.et Zucc.at the study site.The tree canopy along a stream at the study site consisted mainly of Uncaria rhynchophylla.Because individual U. rhynchophylla plants could not be distinguished, the survey was carried out along a selected route (30 m in length, 3 m in width).Other plant species, such as Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.and Mallotus japonicus (L.f.) Müll.Arg., were also in bloom along the survey route.One of the two researchers walked Settling moths as potential pollinators of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae)