Temporal variation of flower scent in Silene otites (Caryophyllaceae): a species with a mixed pollination system

Abstract

Floral scent composition and emission are often related to olfactory abilities, preferences and activity times of pollinating agents. However, most studies have focused on species with one pollinator type, and little is known about species with mixed pollination systems. We investigated the temporal variation in flower visitor activity and flower scent emission of Silene otites (Caryophyllaceae), a species regarded as being nocturnal and pollinated by moths and mosquitoes. We found, however, that S. otites is not only visited at night by moths and mosquitoes, but also by a wide range of day-active insects. Furthermore, both the intensity and composition of floral scent change during the course of the day. Total scent emission reached its maximum in the early hours of the night when compounds known to be attractants for moths and/or mosquitoes, such as lilac aldehyde, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde and 2-phenylethanol, dominated the scent. However, although less intensive, emission continued during the day. In the early morning, α-pinene, hotrienol, 2-phenylethanol and δ-3-carene were the dominant scent compounds. (E)-β-Ocimene, hotrienol and benzyl alcohol contributed proportions of at least 10% before midday when flies, such as syrphids, were abundant flower visitors, whereas linalool and hotrienol contributed to the scent with at least 10% each in the afternoon when bees also contributed to flower visits. We conclude that, in S. otites, the changing emission patterns are ‘in tune’ with the olfactory abilities, preferences and activity times of its day- and night-active potentially pollinating flower visitors. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 169, 447–460.