Winter flowering orchids: their ecology and conservation

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Conservation of biological resources
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sugiura Naoto 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(理), 准教授 (50304986)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-10-21 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 保全管理 / ミツバチ媒花 / 冬咲き / だまし受粉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Floral biology and pollination mechanisms of two endangered orchids, Cymbidium dayanum and Liparis elliptica, were investigated in south Kyushu, Japan. Fall-winter blooming flowers of C. dayanum exclusively depend on workers of the Japanese honeybee Apis cerana japonica. This finding explicitly indicates the bee pollination niche could be available to temperate plant species even during mid-winter in temperate climate. Flowering during the cold season may be advantageous, in terms of increasing honeybee availability, reducing competition among co-blooming plants for honeybees, warding off undesirable flower visitors and extending the floral lifespan. Only a single phorid fly was recorded as flower visitors of L. elliptica. Based on the findings of the present study, we provided some information useful for conservation management of the orchids.

Free Research Field

受粉生態学、保全生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

温帯産の冬咲き植物(ヘツカラン)の花であっても、ハナバチを利用することで受粉をおこなうことが可能なことを、花の形態機能、訪花昆虫相と各種の訪花行動、稔実率（＝受粉成功度）の観点から、具体的かつ詳細なデータをもとに明示したこと。また、開花から受粉を経て稔実へと至る有性生殖の過程を明らかにすることで、絶滅が危惧されているラン科植物2種の自生地保全に関して有用な情報をいくつか得たこと。