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AOBPreview published online on December 30, 2008
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcn261
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

A key role for floral scent in a wasp-pollination system in Eucomis (Hyacinthaceae)

A. Shuttleworth and S. D. Johnson*

School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa

* For correspondence. E-mail Johnsonsd{at}ukzn.ac.za

Received: 19 September 2008    Returned for revision: 29 October 2008    Accepted: 25 November 2008   

Background and Aims: Floral scent may play a key role as a selective attractant in plants with specialized pollination systems, particularly in cases where floral morphology does not function as a filter of flower visitors. The pollination systems of two African Eucomis species (E. autumnalis and E. comosa) were investigated and a test was made of the importance of scent and visual cues as floral attractants.

Methods and Key Results: Visitor observations showed that E. autumnalis and E. comosa are visited primarily by pompilid wasps belonging to the genus Hemipepsis. These wasps carry considerably more Eucomis pollen and are more active on flowers than other visiting insects. Furthermore, experiments involving virgin flowers showed that these insects are capable of depositing pollen on the stigmas of E. autumnalis, and, in the case of E. comosa, pollen deposited during a single visit is sufficient to result in seed set. Experimental hand-pollinations showed that both species are genetically self-incompatible and thus reliant on pollinators for seed set. Choice experiments conducted in the field and laboratory with E. autumnalis demonstrated that pompilid wasps are attracted to flowers primarily by scent and not visual cues. Measurement of spectral reflectance by flower petals showed that flowers are cryptically coloured and are similar to the background vegetation. Analysis of headspace scent samples using coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed that E. autumnalis and E. comosa scents are dominated by aromatic and monoterpene compounds. One hundred and four volatile compounds were identified in the floral scent of E. autumnalis and 83 in the floral scent of E. comosa, of which 57 were common to the scents of both species.

Conclusions: This study showed that E. autumnalis and E. comosa are specialized for pollination by pompilid wasps in the genus Hemipepsis and achieve specialization through cryptic colouring and the use of scent as a selective floral attractant.

Key words: Eucomis, Pompilidae, wasp pollination, breeding system, pollination syndrome, pollinator shift, floral volatile, floral filter


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