Pollination ecology of endangered Eremostachys superba Royle ex Benth. (Labiatae)

Abstract

Pollination ecology of Eremostachys superba Royle ex Benth.(Labiatae) from the Siwaliks of Uttar Pradesh, India, is discussed. The low population strength was found to be responsible for pollinator limitation in the species. This species is adapted for cross-poIlination by oligolectic pollinivorous bees, Nomin rustica West and Ceratina hefroglyphfcct Sm. of tl1e order Hymenoptera. The bees were pollinivorous and eutropic in nature and exhibited floral fidelity behaviour while foraging for pollen. Their visitations to the flowers were ethodynamic, but scanty. The flowers, in turn, were oligophilic and pollination mechanism was sternotribic. A specialized plant-pollinator co-adaptation existed in this critically endangered species which is exposed to a high reproductive bottleneck.