The Pollination Biology of North American Orchids: Volume 1 North of

Recent studies have revealed remarkable complexity and diversity in orchid-pollinator relationships. These studies comprise a vast literature currently scattered in numerous, often obscure, journals and books. The Pollination Biology of North American Orc

  • PDF / 4,302,739 Bytes
  • 232 Pages / 439.37 x 666.14 pts Page_size
  • 26 Downloads / 159 Views

DOWNLOAD

REPORT


Charles L. Argue

The Pollination Biology of North American Orchids: Volume 1 North of Florida and Mexico

Charles L. Argue, Ph.D. University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences Saint Paul, MN, USA [email protected]

ISBN 978-1-4614-0591-7 e-ISBN 978-1-4614-0592-4 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-0592-4 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London Library of Congress Control Number: 2011935365 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)

Preface

Orchids employ an amazing array of impressive strategies to achieve sexual reproduction. These strategies have intrigued biologists and amateur naturalists at least since Christian Konrad Sprengel (1750–1816) first associated the variation in orchid flowers with the attraction of pollinators. Since Darwin’s 1862 book, The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids are Fertilized by Insects, and especially in the past 50 years, a very large number of studies have revealed remarkable complexity and diversity in orchid–pollinator relationships. These studies comprise a vast literature currently scattered in numerous, often obscure, journals and books. The Pollination Biology of North American Orchids brings together, for the first time, a comprehensive treatment of this information for all native and introduced American orchids found north of Mexico and Florida. The book offers detailed descriptions and information on genetic compatibility, breeding systems, pollinators, pollination mechanisms, fruiting success, and limiting factors for each species. Distribution, habitat, and floral morphologies are also summarized. In addition, detailed line drawings emphasize orchids’ reproductive organs and their adaptation to known pollinators. All drawings are by the author, sometimes based on the published work of others, as indicated. Areas where information is limited are noted, thus spotlighting topics in particular need of further research. The Pollination Biology of North American Orchids will be of interest to both regional and international audiences including the following: s Researchers and students in this field of study who are currently required to search through the scattered literature to obtain the information gathered here. s Researchers and students in related fields w