Explosive New Zealand Mistletoe Example, 4 of 7 Flowers on Sheet AK103910)
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SCIENTIFIC CORRESPONDENCE pattern, as do herbarium sheets (for Explosive New Zealand mistletoe example, 4 of 7 flowers on sheet AK103910). Trilepidea almost certainly SIR- Many flowers of the mistletoe arium sheets show an even more special had more complex explosive flowers than Peraxilla tetrapetala (Loranthaceae) in New ized explosive mechanism than in Peraxilla. Peraxilla. Such specialization may have Zealand open from the bottom (f in the We discovered explosive flower opening rendered Trilepidea more sensitive to figure) rather than the top (d); Kuijtl called in both endemic New Zealand Peraxilla reduced bird densities due to introduced this an "unsolved mystery ... we cannot species when we noted that flower buds mammalian predators, contributing to its even guess at the meaning of this bizarre bagged for hand pollination almost never rapid and puzzling5 decline. performance." Here we report that flower opened (3/394 for P. tetrapetala, 1/82 for P. Explosive flower opening is well known buds of P. tetrapetala and P. colensoi open colensoi). The petals remained fused at the in other mistletoes6, including many of from the top only when twisted by top, while eventually undergoing abscis the 230 species in Africa3, and a few a bird, a form of 'explosive' flower open sion from their base (fin the figure). Field species in India7, Java, New Guinea and ing common in Africa but previously observations of unbagged flowers revealed South America1•6. However, this is the unknown in Australasia. Kuijt's "bizarre that they were opened by two native first report from Australasia. The New performance" is simply the consequence of honeyeaters (Meliphagidae ): tuis (Pros Zealand flora generally displays few flowers not being visited by birds. themadera novaeseelandiae; c in the figure) specialized pollination mechanisms8. We However, pollination in Peraxilla is possible and bellbirds (Anthomis me/anura). have shown that the two endemic Peraxilla without birds: unvisited flowers sometimes Both pollinators twisted only ripe buds; mistletoes, and probably also Trilepidea, self-pollinate when the petals undergo neither bird visited flowers that had already show very specialized omithophilous abscission from the bottom. opened. Nectar production schedules pollination. This has interesting bio The closely related Alepis flavida may discourage repeat visits, as Peraxilla buds geographical implications, as the New show how explosive opening evolved. Its already contain 70-98% of all the nectar Zealand Loranthaceae are generally flowers open unaided, but birds twist they will ever produce. Exclusion experi considered primitive9. buds to try and open them early. Another ments showed that the dependence of Our study also has implications for close relative, Trilepidea adamsii, is believed Peraxilla species on birds is not total, as conservation. First, if outbreeding benefits extinct, but historical paintings and herb- 22% of unopened flowers set seed. Peraxilla, bird populations must be main In A. flavida, bagged tained, or cross-pollination becomes a flowers opened normally impossible. Current bird populations are without the assistance of insufficient in some areas to open more birds. However, we saw a than a minority of Peraxilla flowers. bellbird twist A. flavida Second, learning by the birds may be buds in an unsuccessful important. In the North Island, Peraxilla attempt to hasten their populations have been reduced markedly opening; this suggests how by Australian brushtail possums (Trich explosive opening could osurus vulpecula) 10. In 1993-94, banding have evolved. Birds benefit of trees to exclude possums allowed more by being able to forage extensive flowering, but the flowers were e /Stigma .l n more efficiently, because largely ignored by bellbirds (S. Dopson, ;;_...--style buds have not had their personal communication), which may no # /Anther nectar harvested by any longer know how to open them. Finally, li other bird (or insect )2: posthumous recognition of explosive II" tamper-proof twist-top fast flowers in Trilepidea both sheds light on food for birds. The mistle its extinction and increases our sadness at toe may benefit through the fact. more faithful pollinator Jenny J. Ladley attention. Dave Kelly These discoveries in Plant and Microbial Sciences, h i Peraxilla led us to reconsid University of Canterbury, er the extinct Trilepidea Christchurch 1, New Zealand adamsii, once congeneric 1. Kuijt, J. The Biology of Parasitic Flowering Plants (Univ. with Peraxilla and Alepis. California Press, Los Angeles, 1969). ~t 2. Gill, F. B. & Wolf, L. L. Am. Nat. 109, 491-510 (1975). Study of pollination in 3. Polhill, R. M. in Tropical Forests (eds Holm-Nielsen, L. B. ·'-~· eta/.) 221-236 (Academic, London, 1989). extinct species is difficult, Explosive flower opening in the New Zealand mistletoe Peraxilla 4. Goulding, J. H. Fanny Osborne's Flower Paintings colensoi (a-f) and its possible precursor in A/epis f/avida (g-i). but paintings and herb (Heinemann, Auckland, 1983). P. co/ensoi: a, Unopened bud, mean length 47 mm. b. Bird (a tui) arium sheets show previ 5. Norton. D. A. Conserv. Bioi. 5(1), 52-57 (1991). grasps the top of a ripe bud with its beak and twists. c. After 6. Docters van Leeuwen. W. M. Beaufortia 4(41). 105-205 ously overlooked features (1954), 0.55 ± 0.10 s (mean± 95% confidence interval, from 23 video diagnostic of very complex 7. Davidar, P. Biotropica 15(1). 32-37 (1983). recordings), the flower explodes open, flinging pollen from the explosive flowers. In the 8. Webb. C. J. & Kelly. D. Trends Ecol. Eva/. 8(12), already-dehisced anthers, and the bird drinks nectar from the side 442-44 7 (1993). African Tapinanthus 3, ripe or above, pollinating the flower. d, Four hours after opening, petals 9. Barlow. B. A. in The Biology of Mistletoes (eds Calder, M. flower buds carry slits & Bernhardt, P.) 19-46 (Academic, Sydney, 1983). have folded back further. Birds ignore open flowers, which pro 10. Ogle, C. C. & Wilson, P. R. Forest Bird 16(3). 10-13 duce little nectar after the ripe-bud stage. e, Three days after (fenestrae), which are (1985). opening, petals fold back through 180°. f, Without a twist from a probed by a bird's beak, bird, the top of the flower never opens, but 4-8 days after bud causing the flower to unzip Scientific Correspondence ripening the petals undergo abscission from the base and pull the down that side. The stigma anthers over the top of the stigma, aiding self-pollination. Alepis swings outwards towards Scientific Correspondence is intended to flavida: this species does not have explosive flowers, and flowers the bird's head. The provide a forum in which readers may open unaided. However, impatient birds sometimes twist flowers raise points of a scientific character. to try and open them early. g, Unopened bud, mean length 20 painting of Trilepidea by Priority is given to letters of fewer than mm. h, Open flower on day of opening. i, Petals fold back within 2 Osborne4 shows flowers 500 words. days of opening. Drawings by T. Galloway. exactly matching this 766 NATURE · VOL 378 · 21/28 DECEMBER 1995 © 1995 Nature Publishing Group.