Relationship between floral traits and floral visitors in two coexisting Tecoma species (Bignoniaceae)

Abstract

In this paper, we studied the floral biology of Tecoma fulva ssp. garrocha and T. stans in Vaqueros (Salta, Argentina), where both species coexist. We tested the idea that floral traits are associated with the pollinator types that visit them. According to our results, T. fulva ssp. garrocha presented traits common to bird flowers and were visited by two species of Trochilidae (Colibri serrirostris and Chlorostilbon lucidus). In addition, T. stans exhibited traits common to hymenoptera flowers and were visited principally by Apis mellifera and Bombus atratus. This study showed that floral traits are predictive of animal visitors.