NECTAR SECRETION PATTERNS IN SALVIA-PRATENSIS L (LAMIACEAE)

Nectar secretion patterns, volume, sugar amount, sugar concentration a nd sucrose/hexose-ratios in Salvia pratensis varied considerably betwe en flowers of different plants, both during the course of a single day as well as over the whole anthesis, which lasted for 4 days. In spite of this variation, the sucrose/hexose-ratio remained always sucrose-d ominant. Influences of temperature and air humidity are discussed as w ell as endogenous secretion rhythms and a possible biological signific ance of the observed variability in nectar secretion of Salvia pratens is.