UCONN UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Plant Biodiversity Conservatory and Research Core

  • Collections
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Outreach
  • Visiting
  • Staff
  • IPM Info
  • Support the Greenhouse

SPECIAL COLLECTION:
Non-flying Rodent Pollination (therophily)

There are a couple of different groups of adaptations to pollination by non-flying rodents. The first group consists of low growing plants visited by ground-dwelling rodents and are characterized by flowers packed tightly into geoflorous and cryptic inflorescences, nocturnal anthesis and production of copious amounts of sugar-rich nectar and pollen as well as a musky odour. In the case of Massonia depressa, the nectar is particularly viscous and gelatinous which may be a means to discourage robbing by insects and facilitate lapping by rodents.

A second group of rodent pollinators (excluding bats) includes a number of marsupials (incl. honey possums, sugar gliders) that visit Australian Proteaceae. These animals are more adapted to climbing around on the plants. A number of Banksia species feature this adaptation although our current accession, Banksia serrata, is wind pollinated and not known to be rodent pollinated.


Greenhouse Locator Map:

data regenerated on Sat, 10 May 2025 02:14:09 -0400

2 Accessions:

Banksia serrata Massonia depressa


Number in parentheses references locator map icons

  • {1} Banksia serrata - Old Man Banksia - Proteaceae
  • {0} Massonia depressa - Hedgehog Lily - Asparagaceae W/C
  • WISHLIST ITEM: Androcymbium latifolium - (syn. Androcymbium pulchrum) - Colchicaceae

W/C = Wild Collected
= Currently Flowering
= Image(s) Available
= map available for this accession
= voucher(s) on file at CONN for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days
  • © University of Connecticut
  • Disclaimers, Privacy & Copyright