Notes oíi\iQ Southeastern Naturalist, Issue 11/1,2012 Identification of Floral Visitors of /m

Floral visitors of the homoploid hybrid speeies. Iris nelsonii (Abbeville Red Iris), were observed and identified in order to determine whether Abbeville Red Iris flowers are visited by similar floral visitors as its progenitor Iris speeies. The most common floral visitors to Abbeville Red Iris flowers v/exeArchilochus colubris (Ruby-throated Hummingbird), whieh were also largely successful in transferring a pollen dye-analogue between Abbeville Red Iris flowers. Other floral visitors included butterflies, wasps, and bee speeies. The pollinators of the Abbeville Red Iris have not been previously documented. These results suggest that pollinator isolation may be important in preventing hybridization between the Abbeville Red Iris and its geographically elosest progenitor speeies, /. hexagona (Dixie Iris). Many closely related plant species express divergent floral characteristics (e.g., color, flower size, inflorescence size, nectar concentration and quantity) and are visited by different pollinator functional groups (Fenster et al. 2004). Natural hybridization between these species may result in hybrids that exhibit parental, intermediate, or extreme floral trait values. In many cases, the hybrid flowers are less attractive to potential pollinators than pure-species flowers (e.g., Campbell et al. 1997). However, some hybrid flowers may be equally or more attractive to pollinators as the pure species flowers (e.g., Emms and Arnold 2000, Martin et al. 2008, Sutherland and Vickery 1993, Wesselingh and Arnold 2000), or may even potentially attract a new suite of pollinators (Straw 1955). If the hybrid lineage is pollinated by a different suite of pollinators, ethological pollinator isolation may act to prevent gene flow between the hybrid lineage and the originally hybridizing species (Chase et al. 2010, Straw 1955). Here, we observed pollinators of the homoploid hybrid species. Iris nelsonii Rand (Abbeville Red Iris), to determine whether ethological pollinator isolation may operate in this system. The Abbeville Red Iris is a hoinoploid hybrid species derived from hybridization between Iris brevicaulis Raf. (Zigzag Iris), Iris hexagona Walter (Dixie Iris), and Iris /«/va Ker Gawl. (Copper Iris) (Arnold 1993, Arnold et al. 1990, Randolph 1966). Zigzag Iris and Dixie Iris flowers are blue with prominent nectar guides and stiff sepals and are primarily pollinated by bumblebees (Emins and Arnold 2000, Martin et al. 2008). Copper Iris flowers are red with refiexed sepals and no nectar guides, and are primarily visited by hummingbirds (Emms and Arnold 2000, Martin et al. 2008, Wesselingh and Arnold 2000). Abbeville Red Iris flowers are red (Fig. 1), typical of a hummingbird pollination syndrome, but the primary floral visitors of the Abbeville Red Iris have not been previously documented. In order to determine the floral visitors of the Abbeville Red Iris, we observed floral visitation in two localities within the restricted range of the Abbeville Red Iris in Vermillion Parish, LA. Visitation was recorded on 8 April and 15-17 April 2011. Iris flowers have three pollination units, each of which is composed of a sepal and a stylar branch subtended by a single anther and the nectary (Fig. 1). When a pollinator attempts to access the nectar, pollen is deposited on the head or body of the pollinator. When the pollinator visits the next flower, pollen is deposited onto the stigmatic surface that folds down in front of the anther. The shape of the flower is such that visitors can access the reward "legitimately" through 'Texas State University-San Marcos, Department of Biology, 601 University Drive. San Marcos, TX 78666. 'Corresponding author [email protected].