Figure 8.13. Blakea chlomntha. Drawing
by B. Angel.Figure 8.14. Oryzomys fulvescens (rice rat) feeding
at B. chlorantha flower (see p. 228). Photograph
by R. Schoer.(Weins and Rourke 1978, Lumer 1980, I. Baker, pers.
comm.). The mice and rats do not eat or disturb the
flowers and leave little evidence of their visits. They
hold a flower between their front paws as they probe
for nectar with their tongues (Fig. 8.14). Trapped ro-
dents had Blakea pollen on their snouts and in their
guts. Blakea chlorantha is self-compatible, so mice and
rats are responsible for both self- and cross-pollination.
Birds are occasionally seen visiting these flowers.
They take nectar remaining from the previous eve-
ning, and it is possible that they sometimes effect pol-
lination (see Langtimm and Unnasch, "Mice, Birds,
and Pollination," p. 241). However, flowers from
which pollen is released at dusk, and in which nec-
tar is produced only during the night, appear better
adapted to nocturnal visitors. Several species of ro-
dents (Oryzomys devius [or Reithrodontymys creeper;
see Chap. 7, Mammals] and Peromyscus nudipes) visit
these flowers for nectar. Blakea chlorantha blooms
from October through February. Where do the rodents
obtain sugar from March through September? Two
species that visit B. chlorantha also visit flowers of
B. austin-smithii and B. penduliflora in central Costa
Rica (Lumer and Schoer 1986; Table 8.4).
The seeds of Blakea and Topobea are dispersed by
several species of birds that eat the fruit, which con-
tain several hundred seeds in a sticky matrix that sticks
to the birds' bills. Birds then wipe their beaks on a
branch, placing the seeds in position to germinate. In
summary, these plant species exhibit great reproduc-
tive flexibility and offer resources to their pollinators
and seed dispersers throughout most of the year.Table 8.4. Rodent visitors to Blakea flowers in Costa Rica.
Blakea
chlorantha
(Monteverde)Blakea
austin-smithii
(Volcan Irazu)Blakea
penduliflora
(Volcan Barba)
Oryzomys devius
O. fluvescens
Peromyscus mexicanus nudipes
Reithrodontomys creper
R. rodriguezii
Scotinomys teguina+ + + - - -276 Plant-Animal Interactions