ABSTRACT Heteranthery, the presence of different types of stamens in a flower, may reduce the conflict between pollinators and plants by ensuring the resource for the pollinator without drastically affecting the availability of viable male gametes for fertilization, according to the division-of-labor hypothesis. We investigated whether the poricidal anthers of Senna pendula, a buzz-pollinated heterantherous species, present morphological and physiological differences among pollen grains from the three sets of stamens. We compared quantity, ornamentation, size and fecundity of pollen from long, medium and short stamens. The short feeding stamens produced larger but fewer pollen grains than the long pollinating stamens, which produced smaller pollen grains but in higher quantity. The total pollen volume of pollinating and feeding stamens per flower, however, was the same. The medium stamen produced less-fertile small pollen grains and seems to play no specific role in bee feeding and pollination. Our results indicate differential allocation of pollen for pollinating and feeding stamens mediated by heteranthery. The differences in volume versus quantity of pollen grains fit the division-of-labor hypothesis well for heterantherous pollen-only flowers with poricidal anthers.

Dimorphandra wilsonii Rizzini is a rare species. Although cited as endemic to the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, it has been recorded only for the municipalities of Paraopeba and Caetanópolis and therefore has not been extensively studied. This long-term, intensive survey, conducted from 2004 to 2012 in the central region of the state, was aimed at assessing its distribution, describing its habitat, and verifying its endemism, as well as assessing threats and determining its conservation status. Given the considerable size of the area to be studied and the difficulty of locating individuals of the species, we adopted popular participation as a complementary tool and we employed spatial distribution modeling. Communities were mobilized through the dissemination of print materials, and interviews were conducted. We visited 74 municipalities and addressed 900 people in search of this species. We found that D. wilsonii is endemic to the cerrado (savanna) and Atlantic Forest in the central region of Minas Gerais, occurring in 16 municipalities. Is not present in any fully protected conservation area, and its population (fewer than 250 individuals) is declining due to habitat destruction, caused mainly by agricultural/livestock and urban expansion, and its conservation status is "critically endangered".

Cipocereus laniflorus N.P. Taylor & Zappi é uma espécie endêmica da Serra do Caraça, Minas Gerais, Brasil. A fim de se propor estratégias de conservação para esta espécie, estudos sobre sua biologia reprodutiva foram realizados, incluindo fenologia reprodutiva, biologia floral, visitantes florais e o sistema reprodutivo. O período de floração e frutificação ocorre de maio a outubro. Poucas flores abrem-se por planta a cada noite, podendo produzir até 0.4 ml de néctar, poré 30% destas não apresentam néctar. Cipocereus laniflorus provavelmente oferece também pólen como recurso. A eficiência de frutificação sob condições naturais de polinização (47%) foi semelhante às encontras para outras espécies de Cactaceae. Pólen de C. laniflorus foi detectado nos morcegos Anoura geoffroy, Glossophaga soricina e Pygoderma bilabiatum. Entre os caracteres relacionados à quiropterofilia encontrados em C. laniflorus, destacamos a coloração creme da parte interna da flor, os estames numerosos e a antese noturna de curta duração. As flores de C. laniflorus também podem ser visitadas por besouros Nitidulidae, abelhas Trigona fulviventris e beija-flores. No entanto, os morcegos são os principais polinizadores desta espécie. Finalmente, por ser uma espécie auto-estéril, C. laniflorus precisa de um polinizador e está mais suscetível ao risco de extinção se qualquer distúrbio afetar de forma negativa o seu sistema de polinização.

Cipocereus laniflorus N.P. Taylor & Zappi is an endemic species from the Serra do Caraça, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In order to propose conservation strategies for this species, its reproductive strategies were investigated, including reproductive phenology, floral biology, floral visitors and breeding system. The flowering and fruiting period extends from May to October. Few flowers per plant open each night, producing up to 0.4 ml nectar, but 30% of them are nectarless. Probably pollen is also offered as a resource. Fruiting efficiency of C. laniflorus (47%) is close to that found in other Cactaceae species. Pollen of this species was detected in Anoura geoffroy, Soricina glossophaga and Pygoderma bilabiatum bats. Amongst the characteristics related to bat-pollination syndrome found in C. laniflorus, the cream-white colouring of the internal part of the flower, the numerous stamens and the nocturnal anthesis of short duration can be highlighted. Flowers of C. laniflorus are also visited by Nitidulidae beetles, Trigona fulviventris bees and hummingbirds, however bats are the main pollinators of this species. Finally, as a self-sterile species, C. laniflorus needs a pollinator and is more susceptible to the risk of extinction if local disturbances affect its pollination system.