ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess

Abstract Number: 4294
Poster No. = 768


POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF PIPERACEAE SPECIES IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL


R. A. de Figueiredo* and M. Sazima^ (*Faculdades Padre Anchieta and Universidade Paulista, ^Dept. of Botany, State University of Campinas, C.P. 6109, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil)


The floral biology is described for 11 species of Piper, two of Ottonia, and one of Pothomorphe (Piperaceae) in semideciduous forest of southeastern Brazil. The species showed only minute differences in flower characteristics, and most of them are selfincompatible. Three species of Piper are exclusively entomophilous and the other Piperaceae species are pollinated both by insects and wind. Flower visitors are flies (mainly Syrphidae: Diptera), bees (mainly Apidae and Halictidae: Hymenoptera) and butterflies (mainly Nymphalidae: Lepidoptera). These insect visitors are regarded as potential pollinators, but hoverflies are the main pollinators. Some features of the pollination system of Piperaceae species may favour their great capability of colonization and their wide geographical distribution.

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