Abstract
Solitary bees (Halictus sp.) were found to be the effective pollinators ofCephalanthera longifolia. In the same foraging flight the bees also visit flowers ofCistus salviifolius which has a similar colour pattern.Cephalanthera offers no reward to its pollinators, but orange papillae on its labellum successfully imitate pollen ofCistus. AsCephalanthera also attracts pollinators in the absence ofCistus, this is regarded as “facultative floral mimicry”.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baumann, H., Dafni, A., 1979:Orchis israelitica, spec. nov., eine neue endemische Art aus Israel. — Mitteilungsbl. Arbeitskr. Heim. Orchid. Baden-Württ.11, 249–282.
Brower, L. P., Brower, J. V. Z., Corvino, J. M., 1967: Plant poisons in a terrestial food chain. — Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.57, 893–898.
Coleman, E., 1932: Pollination ofDiuris pedunculata. — Vict. Nat.49, 179–186.
Dafni, A., 1979: Orchids of Israel—notes on distribution, ecology and local variation. — Mitteilungsbl. Arbeitskr. Heim. Orchid. Baden-Württ.11, 206–222.
Dafni, A., Ivri, Y., 1979: Pollination ecology of, and hybridization betweenOrchis coriophora L. andO. collina Sol. exRuss. (Orchidaceae) in Israel. — New Phytol.83, 181–186.
- - 1981: Floral mimicry betweenOrchis israelitica Baumann etDafni (Orchidaceae) andBellevalia flexuosa L. (Liliaceae). — Oecologia (in press).
Darwin, C., 1877: The Fertilization of Orchids by Insects. — 2nd ed. London.
Dodson, C. H., Frymire, G. P., 1961: Natural pollination of orchids. — Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard.48, 137–172.
Ducke, A., 1901: Beobachtungen über Blütenbesuch, Erscheinungszeit etc. der bei Para vorkommenden Bienen. — Z. Syst. Hymenopt. Dipt.1, 25–32.
Godfery, M. J., 1931: The pollination ofCoeloglossum, Nigritella, Serapias, etc. — J. Bot.59, 129–130.
Godfery, M. J., 1933: Monograph and lconograph of Native British Orchids. — Cambridge: University Press.
Gruenberg-Fertig, I., 1966: A phytogeographical-analytical study in the flora of Palestine. — Ph. D. Thesis, Dept. Bot. Hebrew Univ. Jerusalem.
Lack, A., 1976: Competition for pollinators and evolution inCentaurea. — New Phytol.77, 787–792.
Macior, L. W., 1971: Co-evolution of plants and animals—systematic insights from plant-insect interactions. — Taxon20, 17–28.
Macior, L. W., 1974: Behavioral aspects of coadaption between flowers and insect pollinators. — Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard.61, 760–769.
Pennel, F., 1948: Taxonomic significance of an understanding of floral evolution. — Brittonia6, 301–308.
Proctor, M., Yeo, P. F., 1973: The Pollination of Flowers. — London: Collins.
Pijl, L., van der, Dodson, C. H., 1966: Orchid Flowers—Their Pollination and Evolution. — Miami: University Press.
Renz, J., 1978:Orchidaceae. — In:Rechinger, K. H., (Ed.): Flora Iranica126. — Graz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt.
Schelpe, E., 1966: An Introduction to the South African Orchids. — London: McDonald.
Summerhayes, V. S., 1968: Wild Orchids of Britain. 2nd ed. — London: Collins.
Vogel, St., 1978: Evolutionary shifts from reward to deception in pollen flowers. — In:Richards, A. J., (Ed.): The Pollination of Flowers by Insects, p. 89–96. — Linn. Soc. Sympos. Series6. — London: Acad. Press.
Wickler, W., 1968: Mimicry. — London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. World University Library.
Wiens, D., 1978: Mimicry in Plants. — Evol. Biol.11, 365–403.
Yeo, P. F., 1968: The evolutionary significance of the speciation ofEuphrasia in Europe. — Evolution22, 736–747.
Yeo, P. F., 1972: Miscellaneous notes on pollination and pollinators. — J. Nat. Hist.6, 667–686.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dafni, A., Ivri, Y. The flower biology ofCephalanthera longifolia (Orchidaceae)—pollen imitation and facultative floral mimicry. Pl Syst Evol 137, 229–240 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982788
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982788