Volume 24, Issue 73, January - June, 2023

Insights on the flower behaviour and trap mechanisms of Aristolochia ringens gaping Dutchman’s pipe

Sachin Bhaskar^1,2, Martin Paul¹, Stephen A^1♦

¹Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560027, India
²BEE Lab, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala-695551, India

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560027, India

ABSTRACT

Pollination biology and flower behaviour were studied in Aristolochia ringens Vahl (Aristolochiaceae) ex-situ at St. Joseph’s University Campus, Bengaluru. The flower is a two-day bloom and is strongly protogynous. On day one the stigma is receptive and the odour of the flower is strikingly high. On day two the stigma receptivity is lost and dehiscence of anther takes place along with several other changes in the flower. Five flower visitors were seen in close contact with the flower. The common housefly, bluebottle fly and flesh fly were attracted to the colour or odour of the perianth with repeated abdominal strikes onto the perianth flap while in flight. Whereas, Limnophora sp. and Psyllid fly were found inside the perianth chamber. The morphological and anatomical changes of the flower were studied with reference to plant-pollinator interactions.

Keywords: Flower traps, Aristolochia ringens, Sapromyiophily, Gaping Dutchman’s pipe trap

Species, 2023, 24(73), e37s1516

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v24i73/e37s1516

Published: 27 April 2023