MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND FLOWER VISITORS OF Dichorisandra thyrsiflora (COMMELINACEAE) Talita Angélica de Oliveira Rosa, Priscilla Esclarski, Kaoma Fernandes Coelho, Alessandra F. G. Benites

Abstract

Cultivated plants can be an alternative food source for insects in excessively anthropized environments. Given this perspective, we selected for study the ornamental plant, herbaceous Dichorisandra thyrsiflora J.C. Mikan, native in Brazil, belonging to the Commelinaceae Family. The investigation aimed to analyze the floral morphology of this species, the possible resources available to floral visitors and to identify those most effective visitors in the pollination process. The data collected were the size of the inflorescences, the morphological description, the anthesis process, the availability of attractions, the nectar guides and the identification and behavior of floral visitors. 137 flowers were observed, distributed in 58 inflorescences. D. thyrsiflora presented diurnal anthesis, each stamen being robust and composed of a short filament and a basifix anther, relatively long poricide, with a single apical pore and the pollen is released by vibration. On average, the inflorescences showed up to 72 flower buds. We identified a total of 486 floral visits, of which 89.5% were from bees. The area studied, the effective visitors of D. thyrsiflora were the bees belonging to the Euglossini, Meliponini and Bombini tribe, which are related to the behavior known in the literature as "Buzz polination".