Flowering phenology of a palm community in a central Amazon forest

The flowering phenology of 27 taxa of palms in a lowland moist forest in th e central Amazon was recorded over a 40 month period. Phenological data wer e transformed into measures of synchrony, regularity, and duration. Floweri ng was observed at all times of year and there was no correlation with rain fall either for the current month or for any monthly lag interval. The 27 t axa were divided into three pollination groups-weevil, bee/fly, or beetle-b ased on their behavior at anthesis. Phenology was significantly correlated with pollination groups. Weevil-pollinated palms had higher synchrony and s horter duration of flowering than other groups. Bee/fly-pollinated palms ha d lower synchrony and longer duration of flowering. The beetle-pollinated p alms were intermediate between the two other groups. Seasonal regularity of flowering was similar in all three groups. We suggest that, at least in Ba ctris, taxa exhibit staggered flowering.