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Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2001; 3(6): 642-653
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-19366
Original Paper
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

Flower Scent and Pollination in Selected Neotropical Palms

J. T. Knudsen 1 , L. Tollsten 2 , F. Ervik 3
  • 1 Chemical Ecology, Botanical Institute, Göteborg University, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
  • 2 Substance Analysis, Analytical Development, AstraZeneca R&D Mölndal, 431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
  • 3 Universeum AB, Box 14365, 400 20 Göteborg, Sweden
Further Information

Publication History

March 2, 2001

October 4, 2001

Publication Date:
02 January 2002 (online)

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Abstract

The flower scents of 14 palm species were collected in the field in Ecuador and Puerto Rico by head-space adsorption and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Insect visitors were recorded in seven of the species in Ecuador. The floral scent of the different species was dominated by a variety of compounds, e.g., the fatty-acid derived 3-pentanone and the hydrocarbon series dodecane to pentadecane, the benzenoid compound 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, the isoprenoids (E)-ocimene, myrcene, linalool, and (E)-α-farnesene and the nitrogen-containing compound 2-methoxy-sec-butylpyrazine. Rather than mirroring the systematics of the studied palm species, the chemical composition of the floral scent reflected the pollination mode. The scent of beetle-pollinated species was characterized by large amounts of one or a few dominant compounds, whereas fly- and bee-pollinated species contained a mixture of several compounds in smaller total amounts. We suggest that specific scent compounds, as found in the beetle-pollinated species, have evolved as a response to pollinator preferences. The importance of olfactory cues in relation to visual cues is higher in beetle-pollinated species than in species pollinated by flies and bees.

Key words

Floral scent - head-space - GC-MS - palmae - Arecaceae - pollination

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J. T. Knudsen

Chemical Ecology
Botanical Institute
Göteborg University

Box 461
405 30 Göteborg
Sweden

Email: jette.knudsen@chemecol.gu.se

Section Editor: G. Gottsberger