[Pollinator] Pollinators of Australian orchids

[Peter Bernhardt]

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 Editors asked me to referee this manuscript so I receive access to the published e-paper this morning.  I made several pages of comments but I suspect a number were ignored.  In particular, the author was warned that recent research indicted that some species, long defined as "visual mimics" may actually produce nectar. It remains an interesting and important paper.  Some of the photos will show the pollinators in action and note that the web page gives you access to videos of thynnid wasps and their orchids, as made by the author.  Some criteria, protocols and graphics may be used in future American studies.  Look at the photos.  This is typical of terrestrial orchid diversity in southwestern Australia within the same hectares of land from August-March.  Australia and Southern Africa are really the only places on the planet where you find orchids with blue flowers.  Those with blue flowers are almost always mimics of blue-flowers produced by species in very different families (Campanulaceae, Rutaceae, Liliaceae, Goodeniaceae etc.).


Peter


https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/8/123

[https://www.mdpi.com/diversity/diversity-11-00123/article_deploy/html/images/diversity-11-00123-g001-550.jpg]<https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/8/123>
Free Full-Text | A Comprehensive Study of Orchid Seed Production Relative to Pollination Traits, Plant Density and Climate in an Urban Reserve in Western Australia - mdpi.com<https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/8/123>
www.mdpi.com
The pollination of 20 common terrestrial orchids was studied in a 60-ha urban banksia and eucalypt dominated woodland in Western Australia. Five years of data (24,000 flowers, 6800 plants) measured fruit set relative to floral areas, capsule volumes, climate, phenology, pollination mechanisms, disturbance tolerance and demography. Pollination varied from 0–95% of flowers, floral displays ...



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