Manual of Pollinators of Ophrys (Orchidaceae) Ibérobaleares

By José Lara Ruiz

One of the greatest cases of specialized pollination is the interaction between Ophrys orchids and their pollinators. The flowers of each Ophrys species mimic the sexually receptive females of a particular species of hymenopterans, mainly solitary bees. Males of the corresponding insect species are attracted to the effective sexual stimuli produced by the flowers, mainly because of the similarity between the chemical compounds emitted by the Ophrys labellum and the sex pheromone emitted by the females. As a result of the movements of male insects during their copulation attempts on the flower (called pseudocopulations), pollinia (pollen aggregations) attach to their body and are transferred to the stigmatic cavity of another flower of the same Ophrys species during repeated similar copulation attempts. Such pollination by sexual deception has led to a great diversification of this mostly endemic genus of the Mediterranean basin (more than 350 species according to Delforge 2005, 2016).

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 6205278596
• ISBN13: 9786205278598
• Release Date: October 2022
• Publisher: Our Knowledge Publishing
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"