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Effect of Weigela hortensis (Caprifoliaceae) floral morphology on pollinator behavior
Author(s) -
INOUE MAKI N.,
USHIJIMA JUNKO,
YOKOYAMA JUN
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-1984.2007.00179.x
Subject(s) - nectar , biology , pollinator , proboscis , botany , bumblebee , pollination , caprifoliaceae , gynoecium , stamen , pollen , zoology
The floral morphology of Weigela hortensis was examined at two main sites, Izumi (IZM) and Sasaya (SSY), and three additional sites, Aobadai (AOB), Yagiyama (YGY) and Taihaku‐san (THK), in Japan. Morphological relationships between flowers and pollinators were compared between IZM and SSY. Floral characteristics varied highly among sites. Flowers at THK were significantly longer than those at AOB and YGY, but there were no significant differences between IZM and SSY in the length of the corolla tube, stamen or pistil. In contrast, flowers at IZM, AOB and THK had wider corollas than those at SSY and YGY. The bumblebee Bombus hypocrita , which has a short proboscis and wide thorax, was observed to rob nectar more frequently at SSY than at IZM. The proportion of flowers of the appropriate size for B. hypocrita queens to access nectaries was higher at IZM than at SSY. A higher proportion of flowers with long and wide corollas was associated with a lower frequency of nectar robbing at IZM, indicating that the floral characteristics of W. hortensis affect the foraging behavior of bumblebees.