Abstract
Nectar is one of the most important flower traits, shaping plant–pollinator interactions and reproductive success. Despite Orchidaceae including numerous nectariferous species, nectar chemistry in this family has been infrequently studied. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compile data about nectar attributes in different orchid species. The scarcity of data restricted analyses to sugar concentration and composition. Our results suggest that the most important factor shaping nectar traits in orchids is the pollinator type, although we also found differentiation of nectar traits according to geographical regions. In spurred orchids, the length of the spur impacted nectar traits. We recommend the development of studies on nectar chemistry in orchids, including a wider range of species (both in taxonomic and geographical contexts), as well as extending the analyses to other nectar components (such as amino acids and secondary metabolites). The nectar biome would be also worth investigating, since it could affect the chemical composition of nectar. This will enrich the understanding of the mechanisms of plants–pollinators interactions.
Highlights
As one of the largest families among flowering plants, Orchidaceae is characterized by an unusual diversity of flowers, which is attributed to natural selection on functional traits associated with the behavior, physiology, and anatomy of pollinators
We found data about the amounts of particular sugars or their percentages, which allowed us to calculate sugar ratios in 43 cases
We found data on nectar for 110 orchid species belonging to 36 genera, covering less than 0.5% of all known representatives of the Orchidaceae family, with a size of around
Summary
As one of the largest families among flowering plants, Orchidaceae is characterized by an unusual diversity of flowers (regarding, for instance, flower structure, color, and odor), which is attributed to natural selection on functional traits associated with the behavior, physiology, and anatomy of pollinators. This diversity is reflected in the differentiation in pollination mechanisms and reproductive strategies. The rewarding species achieve higher reproductive success than the deceptive ones, and among the rewards offered by orchids, nectar is the most effective [3,7,8]. Less attention has been paid to the impact of nectar quantity and quality on reproduction
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