Chiropterophily and ornithophily in Freycinetia (Pandanaceae) in Samoa
Cox PA. 1984. Chiropterophily and ornithophily in Freycinetia (Pandanaceae) in Samoa. Plant systematics and evolution. 144:277-290
"In Samoa, field observations, experiments and SEM micrographs of hair and feather samples indicate the dioecious liana Freycinetia reineckei to be both chiropterophilous and ornithophilous with the principal pollinators being an endemic flying fox, Pteropus samoensis, and an endemic starling, Aplonis atrifuscus. Nutritional analysis of staminate and pistillate inflorescenses indicate qualitative and quantitative differences between the rewards offered by the two sexes. No nectar is presented, the principal pollinator rewards being fleshy bracts and pollen. As a result, staminate and bixsexual inflorescenses sustain higher levels of pollinator damage, a factor which may tend to maintain dioecism within the population."
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Cox, Paul
- Units
- NPSA , PACN
- Keywords
- Angiosperms, Animal Studies, Birds (Aves), chiropterophily, Columba vitiensis castaneiceps, floral ecology, Freycinetia reineckei, ornithophily, Pandanaceae, Plant Studies, Pollination, Samoan Fruit Bat (Pteropus samoensis), Samoan starling (Aplonis atrifuscus), Western Samoa