Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diverse pollination systems of the twin-spurred orchid genus Satyrium in African grasslands

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The large terrestrial orchid genus Satyrium underwent evolutionary radiations in the Cape floral region and the grasslands of southern and eastern Africa. These radiations were accompanied by tremendous diversification of the unusual twin-spurred flowers that characterize the genus, but pollination data required to interpret these patterns of floral evolution have been lacking for grassland species in the genus. Here we document pollinators, nectar properties, and levels of pollination success for 11 grassland Satyrium species in southern and south-central Africa. Pollinators of these species include bees, beetles, butterflies, hawkmoths, noctuid moths, long-proboscid flies, and sunbirds. Most species appear to be specialized for pollination by one functional pollinator group. Long-proboscid fly pollination systems are reported for the first time in Satyrium (in S. macrophyllum and a high-altitude form of S. neglectum). Floral morphology, especially spur length and rostellum structure, differs markedly among plants with different pollinators, while nectar volume, concentration, and sugar composition are fairly uniform across species. Most taxa exhibited high levels of pollination success (>50% of flowers pollinated), a trend that can be attributed to the presence of nectar in the twin spurs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ellis AG, Johnson SD (2010) Gender differences in the effects of floral spur length manipulation on fitness in a hermaphrodite orchid. Int J Plant Sci 171:1010–1019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garside S (1922) The pollination of Satyrium bicallosum Thunb. Ann Bolus Herb 3:137–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldblatt P, Manning JC (2000) The long-proboscid fly pollination system in southern Africa. Ann Missouri Bot Gard 87:146–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldblatt P, Manning JC, Bernhardt P (1998) Adaptive radiation of bee-pollinated Gladiolus species (Iridaceae) in southern Africa. Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:492–517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder LD, Johnson SD (2005) Adaptive plasticity of floral display size in animal-pollinated plants. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci 272:2651–2657

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrera CM (1990) The adaptedness of the floral phenotype in a relict endemic, hawkmoth-pollinated violet. 1. Reproductive correlates of floral variation. Biol J Linn Soc 40:263–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jersakova J, Johnson SD (2007) Protandry promotes male pollination success in a moth-pollinated orchid. Funct Ecol 21:496–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (1994) The pollination of Disa versicolor, Orchidaceae, by anthophorid bees in South Africa. Lindleyana 9:209–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (1996) Bird pollination in South African species of Satyrium (Orchidaceae). Plant Syst Evol 203:91–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (1997a) Insect pollination and floral mechanisms in South African species of Satyrium (Orchidaceae). Plant Syst Evol 204:195–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (1997b) Pollination ecotypes of Satyrium hallackii (Orchidaceae) in South Africa. Bot J Linn Soc 123:225–235

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (2000) Batesian mimicry in the non-rewarding orchid Disa pulchra, and its consequences for pollinator behaviour. Biol J Linn Soc 71:119–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD (2006) Pollination by long-proboscid flies in the endangered African orchid Disa scullyi. S Afr J Bot 72:24–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD, Nicolson SW (2008) Evolutionary associations between nectar properties and specificity in bird-pollination systems. Biol Lett 4:49–52

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD, Steiner KE (1995) Long-proboscid fly pollination of two orchids in the Cape Drakensberg mountains, South Africa. Plant Syst Evol 195:169–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD, Steiner KE (1997) Long-tongued fly pollination and evolution of floral spur length in the Disa draconis complex (Orchidaceae). Evolution 51:45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD, Ellis A, Dotterl S (2007) Specialization for pollination by beetles and wasps: the role of lollipop hairs and fragrance in Satyrium microrrhynchum (Orchidaceae). Am J Bot 94:47–55

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurzweil H (1996) Floral morphology and ontogeny in subtribe Satyriinae (Fam Orchidaceae). Flora 191:9–28

    Google Scholar 

  • la Croix IF (1991) Orchids of Malawi. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen MW, Peter C, Johnson SD, Olesen JM (2008) Comparative biology of pollination systems in the African-Malagasy genus Brownleea (Brownleeinae : Orchidaceae). Bot J Linn Soc 156:65–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning J, Snijman D (2002) Hawkmoth pollination in Crinum variabile (Amaryllidaceae) and the biogeography of sphingophily in southern African Amaryllidaceae. S Afr J Bot 68:212–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Ollerton J, Johnson SD, Cranmer L, Kellie S (2003) The pollination ecology of an assemblage of grassland asclepiads in South Africa. Ann Bot 92:807–834

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peter CI, Johnson SD (2009) Pollination by flower chafer beetles in Eulophia ensata and Eulophia welwitschii (Orchidaceae). S Afr J Bot 75:762–770

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuttleworth A, Johnson SD (2009) New records of insect pollinators for South African asclepiads (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae). S Afr J Bot 75:689–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner KE (2010) Twin oil sacs facilitate the evolution of a novel type of pollination unit (meranthium) in a South African orchid. Am J Bot 97:311–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Niet T, Johnson SD (2009) Patterns of plant speciation in the Cape floristic region. Mol Phylogenet Evol 51:85–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van der Niet T, Linder HP (2008) Dealing with incongruence in the quest for the species tree: a case study from the orchid genus Satyrium. Mol Phylogenet Evol 47:154–174

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Niet T, Linder HP, Bytebier B, Bellstedt DU (2005) Molecular markers reject monophyly of the subgenera of Satyrium (Orchidaceae). Syst Bot 30:263–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Niet T, Zollikofer CPE, Ponce de León MS, Johnson SD, Linder HP (2010) Three-dimensional geometric morphometrics for studying floral shape variation. Trends Plant Sci 15:423–426

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Wyk B-E, Whitehead CS, Glen HF, Hardy DS, van Jaarsveld EJ, Smith GF (1993) Nectar sugar composition in the subfamily Alooideae (Asphodelaceae). Biochem Syst Ecol 21:249–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vogel S (1954) Blütenbiologische Typen als Elemente der Sippengliederug dargestellt anhand der Flora Südafrikas. Fischer, Jena

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel S (1959) Organographie der Blüten kapländischer Ophrydeen. Akad Wiss Abh Math Naturwiss 6–7:1–268

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Allan G. Ellis

    Present address: Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

  2. Elin Boberg

    Present address: Plant Ecology, Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa

    Steven D. Johnson, Allan G. Ellis, Elin Boberg, Christo Botes & Timotheüs van der Niet

  2. Department of Botany, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Craig I. Peter

Authors
  1. Steven D. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Craig I. Peter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Allan G. Ellis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elin Boberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Christo Botes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Timotheüs van der Niet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steven D. Johnson.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 17 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnson, S.D., Peter, C.I., Ellis, A.G. et al. Diverse pollination systems of the twin-spurred orchid genus Satyrium in African grasslands. Plant Syst Evol 292, 95–103 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-010-0411-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-010-0411-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation