Nectar production in species of the genus Galanthus L. (Amaryllidaceae) from Serbia

Abstract

As a contribution to the study of the melliferous flora of Serbia, nectar production in two species of the genus Galanthus L. (G. nivalis L., and G. elwesii Hook.) was investigated. The intensity of nectar secretion was determined directly, using the microcapillary method. The study included determination of the total daily nectar amount per flower, and an analysis of nectar secretion dynamics during the day and during the flower ontogeny. The results show that the total daily amount of nectar per flower is low, and flowers of both species exude nectar only once during the day and during the flower ontogeny. However, despite the low nectar production, Galanthus species represent a first valuable source of nectar and pollen to pollinators in the early spring period, when only a small number of species are in the flowering phenophase.

U ovom radu je prikazana nektarska produkcija dveju vrsta roda Galanthus L. (G. nivalis L. i G. elwesii Hook.), kao doprinos proučavanju apiflore Srbije. Intenzitet nektarske sekrecije utvrđen je direktno, metodom mikrokapilare. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo određivanje ukupne dnevne količine nektara po cvetu i analizu dinamike sekrecije nektara tokom dana i tokom ontogenije cveta. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da je ukupna dnevna količina nektara po cvetu mala i da cvetovi obe vrste mede samo jednom u toku dana i u toku ontogenetskog razvića. Međutim, uprkos niskoj proizvodnji nektara, vrste roda Galanthus predstavljaju prvi značajan izvor nektara i polena oprašivačima u ranoprolećnom periodu, kada je samo mali broj vrsta u fenofazi cvetanja.