POLLINATION BIOLOGY AND BREEDING SYSTEMS OF 6 VOCHYSIA SPECIES (VOCHYSIACEAE) IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

Six Vochysia species occurring in cerrado vegetation or gallery forest in central Brazil were studied for their pollination biology and bree ding system. The species showed rather different flowering phenologies , but presented a relatively uniform floral morphology and attracted a mostly similar spectrum of visitors. Principal pollinators were large Anthophoridae bees, but three species were also visited by sphingid m oths while hummingbirds were opportunistic visitors to all species. So me observations indicated that the slight differences in flower size o r habitat between species may have influenced the relative importance of bees versus hummingbirds or sphingids as effective pollinators. All six species were found to be self-incompatible with self-pollen tube rejection, usually accompanied by callose deposition, occurring in the mid-style.