Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Predation, probably by rodents and insects, accounted for fruit losses ranging
FROMABOUTnOVERTHEYEARSOFTHE-INNESOTASTUDY2EEVESAND2EEVES
1984
).
Additional Species of
Malaxis
M. unifolia
Michaux is sympatric with
M. paludosa
in Minnesota, Ontario, and
Manitoba, and its resupinate flowers bloom at about the same time. In Minnesota,
2EEVESIN#HRISTENSEN
1994
) observed a cecidomyiid gall midge with a pollinium
attached to its head crawling upward on the labellum toward the column of
M. uni-
flora
. The two species may, therefore, be pollinated by different insects carrying
pollinia on different parts of their bodies. Other visitors to
M. unifolia
included spe-
cies of
Bradysia
Winnertz (Sciaridae),
Aedes
(Culicidae), and
Trioxys
Haliday
(Braconidae).
"ASEDONmOWERSIZEANDPHENOLOGY2EEVESIN#HRISTENSEN
1994
) believes that
fungus and gall gnats may pollinate
M. soulei
L. O. Williams (now
M. macros-
tachya
(Lex.) Kuntz),
M. corymbosa
(S. Watson) Kuntze (now
M. brachystachys
2CHBF+UNTZ
M. ehrenbergii
2CHBF+UNTZEAND
M. tenuis
(S. Watson) Ames
(now
M. abieticola
Salazar and Soto Arenas) in southern Arizona. Similarly,
Hapeman (
1996
) thinks that flower size and color as well as habitat indicate that
fungus gnats probably pollinate the North American
M. monophyllos
var.
brachy-
poda
'RAY-ORRISAND%AMESIN7ISCONSIN)NANABSTRACT2EEVESAND2EEVES
(
1985
) noted the presence of insect pollinators as well as isolating mechanisms for
this variety in Minnesota, but failed to identify the pollinators or provide any addi-
tional detail. Light (
1998
) reported that it produced 5-mm long, seed bearing cap-
sules at an unspecified site in Canada. Tests in Ontario showed no evidence for
autogamy in this orchid or in
M. unifolia
; both have well-developed rostella separat-
ing the stigma and pollinia (Catling
1983
). However, the largely Old World
M. mono-
phyllos
var.
monophyllos
(= var.
diphyllos
(Cham.) Luer), also found in Alaska and
British Columbia, is reported to be mostly autogamous in Europe, although tiny
flies may sometimes act as pollinators (Davies et al.
1988
). So far as I am aware,
nothing has been published on pollination of the three remaining North American
species of
Malaxis
,
M. wendtii
Salazar,
M. bayardii
Fernald, and
M. spicata
Swartz,
although again flower size and color imply the involvement of small flies, such as
fungus gnats.
Liparis
Richard
Liparis
is a cosmopolitan genus embracing about 250 (Magrath
2002
) to 320
(Pridgeon et al.
2005
) species. Three occur in North America north of Mexico. One,
L. nervosa
(Thunberg ex Murray) Lindley is restricted to Florida. The other two,
with very different breeding systems, are considered here.
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