[Pollinator] Hummingbird Pollinators of Chayote (redux)

[Bill Hilton Jr. (RESEARCH)]

I've heard from several of list members that because of holiday bustle they did not see my original on-line reference to apparent hummingbird pollination of Chayote squash (Sechium edule), as observed during my November expedition to Ujarrás in eastern Costa Rica. If hummers there are truly pollinating, this may be the only known case in which birds are significant pollinators for a commercial food crop.

If you didn't see the write-up, I'd appreciate if you could take a look and send me any comments or questions off-list. I think there's real potential here for additional ornithological AND pollination ecology research.

http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek111201.html

Thanks, and have a great 2012.

BILL

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RESEARCH PROGRAM
c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA
office & cell (803) 684-5852
fax (803) 684-0255

Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net):
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http://www.hiltonpond.org 
"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http://www.rubythroat.org

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