Butterfly pollination of the dryland wildflower Gloriosa minor

Abstract

Gloriosa minor (Colchicaceae) is a showy dryland wildflower species of northern
Kenya. The pollination ecology of G. minor was investigated by direct observation.
Gloriosa minor relies on pollinators for fruit-set, but natural fruit set appears to be
low. Gloriosa minor was found to have a specialised pollination system, with
butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) being the only pollinators/flower visitors
observed at South Turkwel, Turkana. Pollinators of Gloriosa minor in northern Kenya
were all butterflies from the family Pieridae. Five different species of butterfly were
observed visiting the flowers: Belenois aurota, Colotis protomedia, Colotis phisadia,
Colotis halimede and Catopsilia florella. Gloriosa minor relies on butterfly pollinators
for seed production and hence survival in its arid environment.

Keywords: pollination, psychophily, Gloriosa, Lepidoptera, Pieridae, Turkana.