Nectary structure and nectar secretion in Maxillaria coccinea
Only recently have flowers of the genus Maxillaria been shown to produce nectar. Stpiczynska et al. (pp. 87-95) now give the first detailed account of nectary structure and nectar secretion in this genus. This account may also be the first detailed study of the nectary of a presumed hummingbird-pollinated orchid. The nectary is characterized by a small protuberance on the ventral surface of the column and nectar collects in a 'sink' formed by the partial fusion of the bases of the column and the labellum. The ultrastructural basis of nectar secretion in this species is discussed.
