> or five receptive Anthurium huixtlense spadices (three mature plants).
This
> was really quite impressive - literally standing room only for many dozens
> of these bumble-bee sized velvet black euglossines with shiny gold
abdomens.
> Curiously, I also have a number of A. armeniense and A. chiapasense that
are
> also in various stages of flowering right now, and they do not appear to
> attract these bees but rather, a sorta nondescript Trigona species.
Jay, I often stick my nose in the flowers of my plants and take a whiff.
Your observation of euglossine bees on A. huixtlense makes sense to me. The
aroma from huixtlense ( I have the pink spadix form blooming right now) does
remind me of what you might smell coming from the flowers of the orchid
genus Gongora. Gongora are famous for their very species specific
pollinators.......euglossine bees. These smells might varoiusly be described
as acetone, spicey, or eucalyptus like. I do not have A. armeniense to
compare but I do have A. chiapasense and it has a distinct ordor somewhat
like fermenting grapes. In my greenhouse here the spadix of A. chiapasense
attracts various gnats and flies. Related to A. chiapasense is A. lucens and
A. longipeltatum both of which have the 'fermenting grape' smell.
The fragrances of orchids has long been studied. I think Anthurium exhibits
a wide range of fragrances and I imagine attracts a wide range of
pollinators. Some I have observed in my greenhouse...fruity, spicey, cherry
halls cough drop ( on one of J. Bantas hybrids called 'Kiwi'), eucalyptus,
fermented fruit ( grapes), soapy, rotten ( nothing as bad as the genus
Amorphophallus though) I find it all very interesting.
neil
|
IAS on Facebook
IAS on Instagram
