Colletia ulicina Gill. & Hook

Colletia ulicina, an endemic species from the central region of Chile, displays red, tubular, scented, nectariferous flowers at the tip of its branches. Observations at two sites during two consecutive years indicate that the hummingbird Sephanoides sephaniodes (Trochilidae) visits the flowers on a regular basis. Captured hummingbirds had C. ulicina pollen loads on body parts matching the location of anthers and stigmas. The C. ulicina–S. sephaniodes interaction is well established (hummingbird visits were frequent, systematical, and occurred at different sites) although it lacks specificity (S. sephaniodes is a generalist hummingbird and C. ulicina has another, seasonally important pollinator, the even more generalist bumblebee Bombus dahlbomii). To the best of our knowledge this is the first documented report on bird pollination in the Rhamnaceae.

Rhamnaceae constitute a medium-sized plant family (52 genera and ca. 925 species) in which pollination is generally effected by insects that visit the flowers for nectar and pollen (Medan and Schirarend, 2004). Most flower–visitor interactions are unspecialized, but as the floral tube varies in diameter and length across the family (Medan and Schirarend, 2004; Suessenguth, 1953), it has been suggested that flower tube depth is related to the composition and level of specialization of the flower visitor assemblage (Medan and Aagesen, 1995).

Within the tribe Colletieae (20 spp., mainly south American), relatively specialized pollinators like Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera prevail among long-tubed species, many of which have white or, at most, pinkish flowers. The trend to specialization was predicted to reach ornithophily in Colletia ulicina Gill. et Hook., a Chilean species in which the flowers, although not particularly large for the tribe, are narrowly tubular and bright red (Medan and Aagesen, 1995). Here we report observations and pollen load data that document the pollination of C. ulicina by hummingbirds (and, seasonally, also bumblebees) at two Chilean populations during two consecutive years. We also briefly characterize the plant-pollinator network to which the focal plant belongs, in an attempt to assess the relative importance that this mutualism has for the interacting partners.

Ornithophily in the Rhamnaceae: The pollination of the Chilean endemic Colletia ulicina - ScienceDirect

Colletia ulicina from Chile (strangewonderfulthings.com)

Description and images of Colletia ulicina (Cunco rojo, Crucero), a native Chilean plant, supplied by the supplier of the native Chilean seeds, Chileflora.com

 

Colletia ulicina · iNaturalist

https://youtu.be/vhI8LXK7A2Q?t=2066