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Floral biology and pollination ecology of the micro-endemic Stachytarpheta cassiae (S. Atkins) (Verbenaceae)

  • Ecology & Biogeography - Original Article
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Abstract

Knowledge on pollination biology is crucial to understand the basic aspects of sexual plant reproduction and the long-term viability of plant populations. Nowadays, the relevance of these studies on rare and micro-endemic species is ever more important, given the increasing anthropogenic pressures. Here, we characterize the floral biology and identify the pollinators of Stachytarpheta cassiae (S. Atkins), a micro-endemic species from the rupestrian grasslands of northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Flowering of S. cassiae occurs throughout the year and flower anthesis is diurnal, with most of the flowers opening in the morning. Flowers offer nectar and pollen as rewards to a wide range of flower visitors. We observed 15 bee species, five hummingbird species, three butterfly species and one wasp species. All Euglossine bee species and hummingbird species effectively contacted the fertile whorls of the flowers and were classified as pollinators. Thus, S. cassiae appears to have a generalist pollination system. We also identified primary (Bumblebees and carpenter bees) and secondary (non-Euglossine bees and a wasp) nectar robbers and nectar thieves (butterflies). Overall, Euglossine bee and hummingbird pollinators showed significantly higher relative visitation frequency as compared to the rest of floral visitors (nectar robbers and thieves). Flowers of Stachytarpheta cassiae represent a key resource for many animal species throughout the year in these harsh rupestrian environments. Future studies should assess the nectar secretion patterns and the relative contribution of floral visitors to the reproductive success of the species.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to CNPq, FAPEMIG, FONCYT, Anglo American and Vale for their support. We truly appreciate the important suggestions and positive criticisms raised by two anonymous referees, Daniel Negreiros, and the Subject Editor who helped to significantly improve the first version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP 486, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30161-970, Brazil

    Fabíola Mendes dos Santos, Ramiro Aguilar & Geraldo Wilson Fernandes

  2. Laboratório de Ecologia e Sistemática Vegetal, Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais – Campus Salinas, Salinas, Minas Gerais, 39560-000, Brazil

    Michellia Pereira Soares & Gesline Ferreira Guimarães

  3. Laboratório de Sementes Florestais, Departamento de Silvicultura e Genética Florestal, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, Minas Gerais, 37200-900, Brazil

    Renata Moreira dos Santos

  4. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba – CONICET, CC 495, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Lorena Ashworth & Ramiro Aguilar

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  1. Fabíola Mendes dos Santos
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  2. Michellia Pereira Soares
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  4. Renata Moreira dos Santos
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  6. Ramiro Aguilar
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  7. Geraldo Wilson Fernandes
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Contributions

Conceptualization was done by MPS, FMdS, GFG, RMdS, and GWF; methodology was done by MPS, FMdS, GFG, and RMdS; formal analysis and investigation were done by MPS, FMdS, GFG, RMdS, RA, and LA; writing—original draft preparation were done by MPS, FMdS, GFG, RMdS, RA, and LA; writing—review and editing were done by RA, LA, and GWF; funding acquisition was done by GWF; resources were done by GWF; supervision was done by RA, LA, and GWF.

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Correspondence to Geraldo Wilson Fernandes.

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dos Santos, F.M., Soares, M.P., Guimarães, G.F. et al. Floral biology and pollination ecology of the micro-endemic Stachytarpheta cassiae (S. Atkins) (Verbenaceae). Braz. J. Bot 46, 177–187 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-022-00865-6

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