FLOWER MORPHOLOGY AND FLOWER VISITORS OF Nerium oleander (APOCYNACEAE) Caio Henrique Ramos, Victória Sotti Bati, Wesley Onofre Soares

Abstract

Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae) is native from the Mediterranean region, it is a plant largely used as ornamental in Brazil. It has a toxic latex, and has no nectar, offering only pollen grains and latex as a floral reward. Thus, this study aimed to describe the floral morphology, observation and identification of the floral visitors, evaluate the pollen/ovule ratio in individuals of distinctive floral features. The flowers were described through a stereoscopic microscope. The analysis of floral visitors was carried out through observations, collecting, and then, the identification of the insects according to entomological identification manuals. The three types of flowers found have similar floral morphology, such as they are diclinous, heteroclamid, nomocline and hypogenous. The results showed that the highest number of petals of the folded rose flower did not influence the number of floral visitors; the absence of nectar and low amount of pollen grains were observed when compared to other xenogamous specie. Thus, it is putative that the species adopts autogamous strategies.