Biologia floral e aspectos botânicos de Serjania pernabucesis RADLK (SAPINDACEAE)

Abstract

This study was carried out with Serjania pernambucensis Radlk, a plant considered very important as a source of trophic resources to the bees by beekeepers and meliponicultores, and comprehended studies in floral biology, visitor bees and floral glands aiming to know better the specie. The field and laboratory work were carried out in the Environmental, Biological and Agricultural Sciences Center of the Bahia Reconcavo Federal University, Cruz das Almas campus, in 2007 and 2008. The field work was made from 5:00am to 6:00pm, from July to November, when the S. pernambucensis blossom in the region. The plant is a liana with trifoliate composed leaves; its latex has a dense aspect and milk-white color. The flowers are small and white, disposed in raceme inflorescences, and have orange-yellowish staminodes, diurnal anthesis with release of a sweet fragrance and floral diagram K5 C4 A8 G3. The flower visitors, especially the bees have a great importance to the studied specie, because through spontaneous self-pollination and natural pollination tests was noticed that this specie depends on the pollinators to a successful reproduction. Twelve insect families were noticed among the visitors, highlighting the Apidae family with 24 species, specially the Apis mellifera (26,66%), Melipona scutellaris (18,21%) e Trigona spinipes (14,33%). The presence of four secretor structures, idioblasts, latex vessels, glandular trichomes and the nectaries were noticed in the anatomic characterization of the floral glands.