In order to evaluate the pollination strategies of Bignoniaceae, the floral biology and the floral visitors in five species, three cerrado shrubs (Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC.) Bor., Jacaranda decurrens Cham., and Jacaranda oxyphylla Cham.), and two lianas from the border of a semideciduous seasonal forest (Arrabidaea samydoides (Cham.) Sandw., and Arrabidaea triplinervia H. Baill.) were studied in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil. The flowering periods were partially overlapping, especially between species in the same habitat. All the five species were functionally allogamous, melittophilous, nototribic and mainly pollinated by long tongued large bees. Some medium-sized and small pollen-foraging bees were occasional legitimate visitors,... |