Fodder pollen

• Title

  Fodder pollen

• Definition

  Pollen that does not germinate and serves as a pollinator reward. This has been demonstrated in Couroupita guianensis and Lecythis pisonis (Mori et al., 1980) and is hypothesized for other species that appear to have staminodes on the inside of a flat hood or in stamens on the ligular side of the staminal ring.

• Notes

  In the Lecythidaceae, fodder pollen is found either on the ligular side of the staminal ring (e.g., Corythophora amapaensis, C. labriculata, and at least some individuals of Lecythis corrugata) or in the androecial hood as in Couroupita guianensis, Corythophora rimosa and C. alta, and some species of Lecythis where it can be found only in the anthers on the proximal side of the androecial hood (e.g., L. pisonis and relatives) or throughout the hood (e.g., L. persistens subsp. persistens). Although the presence of fodder pollen is often indicated by staminodes with yellow antherodes, this is not always the case. For example, the fodder pollen of Couroupita guianensis is found in white anthers that are the same color as those of the staminal ring. However, the upper part of the filament of staminodes with fodder pollen is yellow. Stamens with yellow anthers and/or located in the hood are considered to be staminodes with antherodes bearing fodder pollen. This, however, is based on a study of Couroupita guianensis and Lecythis pisonis and remains to be demonstrated for other species with this combination of characters.

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