TY  - JOUR
AU  - Maia, A.C.D.
AU  - Schlindwein, C.
AU  - Navarro, D.M.A.F.
AU  - Gibernau, M.
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Pollination of Philodendron Acutatum (Araceae) in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil: A Single Scarab Beetle Species Guarantees High Fruit Set
T2  - Int. J. Plant Sci.
JO  - International Journal of Plant Sciences
SP  - 740
EP  - 748
VL  - 171
IS  - 7
PB  - UNIV CHICAGO PRESS
KW  - Cyclocephala
KW  - floral volatiles
KW  - pollination specificity
KW  - reproductive success
KW  - thermogenesis
N2  - Philodendron acutatum (Araceae) is a hemiepiphyte common to the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil. In two localities, we studied the species' breeding system and associations with flower-visiting insects, along with an analysis of its floral scent composition. The fruit set of self-incompatible P. acutatum was high, more than 90%, and inflorescences were exclusively pollinated by one species of scarab beetle, Cyclocephala celata (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae). Pollinators are drawn toward the inflorescences at dusk by strong floral fragrances given off during the female phase of anthesis, along with endogenous heating of the spadix, whose temperatures were recorded at more than 11 degrees C above ambient air. Two other species of flower-visiting Cyclocephala were also consistently recovered in blacklight trappings during the flowering period of P. acutatum. The fact that only C. celata was found in association with P. acutatum suggests a local reproductive dependence of the plant to this scarab beetle species. Dihydro-beta-ionone and 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-hexanone, a rare volatile molecule so far unreported as a floral compound, together accounted for more than 97% of the unique scent composition of P. acutatum and might be involved in specific attraction of C. celata.
SN  - 1058-5893
N1  - ISI:000280855800003
ID  - Maia_etal2010
ER  -