Abstract
The pollination process in Trigonidium obtusum Lindl. (Epidendroideae: Maxillariinae) is documented. The flowers are pollinated by sexually excited drones of Plebeia droryana (Meliponinae). When attempting to copulate either with sepals or petals, these bees slip on the waxy perianth surface and become trapped in the funnel-like flower tube. Bees trying to escape from the flowers may instead access the space between the column and lip, fixing the pollinarium on their scutellum. Pollinarium-bearing bees may pollinate the flowers when repeating the above-mentioned steps, leaving pollinia on the concave stigmatic surface, thus effecting pollination. Recently removed pollinaria are too broad to enter the stigma but they begin to dehydrate and within 40 min of removal are small enough to fit the stigmatic cavity. This mechanism prevents insect-mediated self-pollination and promotes cross-pollination. Preliminary evidence based on experiments with cultivated plants suggests that they are self-compatible but that fruit set is pollinator-dependent. The data obtained are discussed in a phylogenetic context. It is suggested that the pseudocopulatory syndrome in Trigonidium could have evolved from rewardless (food advertising) ancestors. Pseudocopulation in the context of the long flowering period of this orchid species (about 7 months) is understandable since the eusocial Plebeia bees produce fertile individuals several times a year.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Plebeia droryana drones pollinate the flowers.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Interactor
- Plebeia droryana
Plebeia droryanae0pollinator - Outcome
- flowers are pollinatede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The flowers are pollinated by sexually excited drones of Plebeia droryana (Meliponinae).”
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
Claim · model-written summary
Bees attempting copulation slip on the perianth and are trapped in the flower tube.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Organ / stage
- flower tubee0
- Outcome
- become trapped in the funnel-like flower tubee0
- Qualifier
- waxy perianth surfacee0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“When attempting to copulate either with sepals or petals, these bees slip on the waxy perianth surface and become trapped in the funnel-like flower tube.”
Claim · model-written summary
Escaping bees may acquire a pollinarium on their scutellum.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Organ / stage
- pollinariume0
- Outcome
- fixing the pollinarium on their scutellume0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“Bees trying to escape from the flowers may instead access the space between the column and lip, fixing the pollinarium on their scutellum.”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollinarium-bearing bees may deposit pollinia on the stigma and effect pollination.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Organ / stage
- concave stigmatic surfacee0
- Outcome
- effecting pollinatione0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“Pollinarium-bearing bees may pollinate the flowers when repeating the above-mentioned steps, leaving pollinia on the concave stigmatic surface, thus effecting pollination.”
Claim · model-written summary
Removed pollinaria become small enough to fit the stigma within 40 minutes.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Organ / stage
- pollinariae0
- Outcome
- small enough to fit the stigmatic cavitye0
- Value
- 40 mine0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“Recently removed pollinaria are too broad to enter the stigma but they begin to dehydrate and within 40 min of removal are small enough to fit the stigmatic cavity.”
Claim · model-written summary
The pollinarium dehydration mechanism prevents insect-mediated self-pollination and promotes cross-pollination.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Outcome
- prevents insect-mediated self-pollination and promotes cross-pollinatione0
- Qualifier
- This mechanisme0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“This mechanism prevents insect-mediated self-pollination and promotes cross-pollination.”
Claim · model-written summary
Cultivated plants appear self-compatible.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Outcome
- self-compatiblee0
- Qualifier
- Preliminary evidencee0
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“Preliminary evidence based on experiments with cultivated plants suggests that they are self-compatible but that fruit set is pollinator-dependent.”
Claim · model-written summary
Fruit set appears pollinator-dependent in cultivated plants.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium obtusumMaxillaria obtusat0
- Interactor
- pollinatore0pollinator
- Outcome
- fruit sete0
- Qualifier
- Preliminary evidencee0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium obtusum”
e0“Preliminary evidence based on experiments with cultivated plants suggests that they are self-compatible but that fruit set is pollinator-dependent.”
Claim · model-written summary
The pseudocopulatory syndrome could have evolved from rewardless ancestors.
- Taxon
- Trigonidium
Trigonidiumt0e0 - Outcome
- pseudocopulatory syndromee0
- Qualifier
- rewardless (food advertising) ancestorse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Trigonidium”
e0“It is suggested that the pseudocopulatory syndrome in Trigonidium could have evolved from rewardless (food advertising) ancestors.”