Evolution of pollination systems involving edible trichomes in orchids

Autor(es)

Pansarin, Emerson R. ; Maciel, Artur A.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: AOB PLANTS; v. 9, 2017.
• Citações Web of Science: 6

Resumo

Most flowering plants need biotic vectors for pollen transfer. Consequently, the emergence and maintenance of floral attributes are driven by selection generated by pollinators. As a result of such selective pressures, new strategies related to pollinator attraction and rewards can arise. In addition to nectar and pollen, pollinators exploit floral perfumes, wax, resins, edible oils and edible trichomes. Edible trichomes have been recorded in several plant families, but most frequently in orchids. However, these food hairs have not been recorded previously among members of the Neotropical Catasetinae. Using studies of flower morphology and anatomy, analyses of rewards, and observation of pollinators and pollination mechanism, this study aims to ascertain the pollination biology of Cyanaeorchis, an unusual genus currently recognized within Catasetinae, for which pollinators and rewards are unknown. We also investigate the evolution of floral rewards among the Catasetinae, and the evolution of edible trichomes in orchids more generally. Cyanaeorchis arundinae produces food hairs as a reward and is pollinated by bees that collect this food material. No other Catasetinae offer edible trichomes as a reward to pollinators. Grobya produces edible oil as a resource, while Galeandra is pollinated by nectar deception. The clade containing the genera Dressleria, Mormodes, Cycnoches, Clowesia and Catasetum offers volatile compounds ('perfumes') as a non-nutritive reward to male euglossine bees. Our data indicate that perfume rewards originated only once in the Catasetinae. Our analyses also suggest that edible trichomes evolved independently five times in Orchidaceae. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 14/14969-6 - Evolução das características florais em um gênero neotropical exclusivamente polinizado por abelhas Euglossine
• Beneficiário: Emerson Ricardo Pansarin
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular