Abstract
Nectar composition (sugars and amino acids) of 100 species representing 83 genera from 34 families of angiosperms have been studied. The distribution of the 3 common sugars viz., sucrose, fructose and glucose in nectars of the species studied can be broadly divided into 6 types, based on the presence or absence of any one of the sugars viz sucrose-glucose-fructose, sucrose-glucose, sucrose-fructose, glucose-fructose, glucose and sucrose types with some variations. α-Amino acids were processed in 85 species. Distribution of amino acids was studied in some species and was found to be useful in detecting flower visitors.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bahadur B and Ramaswamy N 1984 Pollination biology of heterostylousTurnera subulata J. E. Smith;J. Palynol. 20 198–209
Bahadur B, Rama Swamy N, Chaturvedi A and Farooqui S M 1985 Floral nectaries in two species ofTurnera L. (Turneraceae);New Bot. 12 117–127
Baker H G and Baker I 1973a Amino acids in nectar and their evolutionary significance;Nature (London) 241 543–545
Baker H G and Baker I 1973b Some anthecological aspects of evolution of nectar producing flowers, particularly amino acid production in nectar; inPlant Taxonomy and Ecology (ed.) V H Heywood, (London: Academic Press) pp 243–264
Baker H G and Baker I 1975 Studies of nectar constitution and pollinator plant coevolution; inCoevolution of Animals and Plants; (eds.) L E Gilbert and P H Raven (Austin: University of Texas Press)
Baker H G and Baker I 1976 Analysis of amino acids in flower nectars of hybrids and their parents with phylogenetic implications;New Phytol. 76 87–98
Baker H G, Oplar P A and Baker I 1978 A comparison or the amino acid complements of floral and extra floral nectars;Bot. Gaz. 139 322–332
Baker H G 1978 Chemical aspects of the pollination biology of woody plants in the tropics; inTropical Trees as Living systems; (eds.) P B Tomlinson and M H Zimmerman (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
Buchan J L and Savage R I 1952 Paper chromatography of some starch conversion products;Analyst 77 401
Corbet S A 1978 Bees and the nectar ofEchium vulgare; inThe pollination of flowers by insects; (ed.) A J Richards (London: Academic Press) pp. 1–30
Corbet S A, Willmer P G, Beament J W L, Unwin D M and Prys-Jones O E 1979 Post-secretory determinants of sugar concentration in nectar;Plant Cell Environ. 2 293–308
Fahn A 1949 Studies in the ecology of nectar secretions;Pales. J. Bot. Jerusalem 4 207–224
Harborne J B 1982Introduction to Ecological Biochemistry; (London: Academic Press)
Original not referred Hartling L K 1979An investigation of the relationship between bumble bee foraging behaviour and the pollination of red clover: a component analysis approach; M.Sc. thesis, University of Toronto, Canada
Hartling L K and Plowright R L 1979 An investigation of inter- and intra-inflorescence visitation rates by bumble bees on red clover with special reference to seed set;Proc. IVth Int. Symp. on Pollination, Md. Agric. Exp. Sta. Spec. Misc. Publ. 1 457–460
Heinrich B 1979Bumble bee economics; (Massachusetts: Harvard University Press)
Loper G M, Waller G D and Berdel R L 1979 Effect of flower age on sucrose content in nectar ofCitrus;Hortic. Sci. 11 416–417
Luttge U 1961 Uber die Zusammensetzung des Nektars und den Mechanismus Seiner Sekretion I;Planta 56 189–212
Luttge U 1962 Uber die Zusammensetzung des Nektars und den Mechanismus Seiner Sekretion II;Planta 59 108–114
Percival M 1961 Types of nectar in angiosperms;New Phytol. 60 235–281
Ranjan S, Govind Jee and Laloraya M M 1955 Chromatographic analysis on the amino acid metabolism of healthy and diseased leaves ofCroton sparciflorus;Proc. Natl. Inst. Sci. India 21 41–47
Rhoades D F and Bergdahl J C 1981 Adaptive significance of toxic nectar;Am. Nat. 117 798–803
Shuel R W 1975 The production of nectar; inThe hive and the honey bee (Hamilton, Illinois: Dadant and Sons) pp 265–282
Shouthwick E E, Loper G M and Sadwick S E 1981 Nectar production, composition, energetics and pollinator attractiveness in spring flowers of western New York;Am. J. Bot. 68 994–1002
Stephenson A G 1981 Toxic nectar deters nectar thieves ofCatalpa speciosa:Am. Midl. Nat. 105 381–383
Willson M J 1983Plant Reproductive Ecology (New York: John Wiley and Sons)
Wykes G R 1952 An investigation of the sugars present in the nectar of flowers of various species;New Phytol. 51 210–215
Ziegler H 1956 Untersuchungen uber die Leitung and Sekretion der Assimilate;Planta 47 447–500
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bahadur, B., Chaturvedi, A. & Rama Swamy, N. Nectar types in Indian plants. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 96, 41–48 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03053269
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03053269