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Temporal Patterns Of Nectar And Pollen Production In Aralia Hispida: Implications For Reproductive Success, James D. Thomas, Mary A. Mckenna, Mitchell B. Cruzan

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large plants of Aralia hispida present their pollen and nectar in hundreds of small flowers than open sequentially over 2—3 wk in a pattern of synchronized protandry that alternates male and female phases. The primary pollinators, bumble bees, are able to discover individual plants with elevated levels of either nectar or pollen, and to return to them more often than to less rewarding plants. Both pollen and nectar are presented gradually over time in such a way as to favor traplining behavior by the bees, with many, frequent visits. In controlled environments, lifetime sugar production per flower varies among plants, …