POLLINATION ECOLOGY OF THE TROPICAL WEED Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq. (TILIACEAE), IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN BRAZIL

This work aimed to study the pollination ecology of the tropical weed Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq. (Tiliaceae), in Viçosa, South-eastern Brazil, during the flowering season of 1993 and 1994. Two patches located in pasture (P1 and P2) and one patch in a forest trail (P3) were chosen and ten plants on each patch were sorted. The number of opened flowers were counted during one day, in each flowering month and patch. All observed flower visitors were identified and their behavior while visiting flowers was recorded. Frequency of visits to flowered branches was obtained and some pollinator individuals were captured for analysis of pollen load. Flowers are conspicuously yellow and actinomorphic, with five nectaries around the ovary base, and opened sequentially in the afternoon. Flower phenology followed a modified steady-state Gentry’s pattern. The number of opened flowers was higher in P2, but differences between months were not homogeneous between patches. Considering behaviour when collecting pollen or nectar, which permitted impregnation of stigma with pollen, visiting frequency and percent of T. semitriloba pollen on pollen load (100% for all of them, except for Augochlorella michaelis which was 81%) the following species were the mainly pollinators: Augochloropsis cupreola, Augochlorella michaelis, Cressomiella aff. sussurans, Cressomiella sussurans, Cressomiella sp., Pseudocentron paulistana, Ceratinula sp1, Ceratinula sp2 and Ceratinula sp3, Melissodes sexcincta, Apis mellifera, Plebeia cf. nigriceps, Plebeia droryana. Frequency of pollinators visitation was not different between patches and not uniform during anthesis. There was a higher pollinator activity between 15:00 and 17:00 hr.