From Colombia, we flew to Costa Rica to continue work on pollination syndromes and buzz-pollination in Melastomataceae. It is the aim of Constantin’s thesis to test whether floral traits identified as informative in delineating pollination syndromes in Merianieae are also useful across the family. We hence aim at collecting flower material of as many morphologically different species as possible, and observing their pollinators. We are currently working at the lowland rainforest station La Gamba (University of Vienna), but will also travel to the cloud forests around Cerro de la Muerte and Monteverde.
Blakea maurofernandeziana flowering in La Gamba
fantastic view of the Golfo Dulce while searching for buzz-pollinated melastomes
exploring the forest around Finca Alexis
waking up at Finca Alexis
South America, but feels like the Alps!
Tanagers remove stamens from Axinaea costaricensis!
view from the “office” at Monteverde Biological Station
windswept continental divide, where you find Melastomataceae which have shifted from bee to vertebrate pollination!
rodent and bird-pollinated Blakea chlorantha
observing buzz-pollinated Miconia schlimmii – a tree 😉
c Anton Weissenhofer
