关键词:
Bursera simaruba
Mexico
parasitic plants
sapromyophily
subdeciduous tropical forest
摘要:
The reproductive biology of most species of Rafflesiaceae is unknown. We studied several aspects of that of Bdallophyton bambasarum Liebm. (Rafflesiaceae) in a subdeciduous tropical forest. Flowering of B. bambasarum is during the driest time of the year. Male flowers are more numerous, larger, and with more nectar than female flowers, but the nectar from female flowers has a higher sugar concentration. Flies (Peckia spp., Perckiamva spp.: Diptera: Sarcophgidae) are the pollinators. They make frequent visits, spending more time in the male flowers. Fluorescents dyes applied to track movement indicated extensive pollen flow within populations, and pollen flow could also be occurring between populations. The latter is reflected in the higher genetic variability within, and the great similarity between, populations than previously recorded for the species. Secondary characteristics of dioecious species fir B. bambasarum, but not the trade-off of reproductive resource allocation. Parasitic plants may damage the host, but the mechanism and extent ate still unknown. (C) 1997 The Linnean Society of London.