Lecythis pisonis
Pollination and dispersal of the sapucaia.
Pollination and dispersal of the sapucaia.
On the left: flowers of the sapucaia (Lecythis pisonis) being visited by female carpenter bees (Xylocopa frontalis). The bees collect sterile pollen from the anthers in the androecial hood for feeding the colony's larvae. During the visit, fertile pollen from the anthers of the staminal ring is deposited on the heads and backs of the bees. This pollen is subquently rubbed off onto the stigmas of subsequent flowers visited in other trees, thereby effecting cross-pollination. On the right: fruits of the sapucaia being visited by the greater spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus hastatus). The bats carry away the seeds to their night roosts where they eat the white aril at the base of the seeds. Seeds that drop under the roost or while being carried away from the tree are. thus, dispersed by the bats.
Female carpenter bees visiting flowers of the sapucaia tree (Lecythis pisonis).
Female carpenter bees visiting flowers of the sapucaia tree (Lecythis pisonis).
A painting by Michael Rothman of female carpenter bees visiting the flowers of the sapucaia tree (Lecythis pisonis). The painting is based on observations made by Scott A. Mori in Bahia, Brazil. The bees remove sterile pollen from the hood of the flower as feed for their larvae. At the same time, fertile pollen rubs off on their heads and back. The fertile pollen is transfered to other flowers in other trees subsequently visited by the bees.
A greater spear-nosed bat removing a seed from a fruit of the Sapucaia.
A greater spear-nosed bat removing a seed from a fruit of the Sapucaia.
A greater spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus hastatus) removing a seed from a fruit of a sapucaia tree (Lecythis pisonis). Painting by Michael Rothman based on descriptions provided by Scott A. Mori.