Observations on the Morphology, Pollination and Cultivation of Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica (J F Gmel.) Pers., Palmae)

Figure 6

Candidate pollinators of coco de mer. (a) Probable Trigona sp. (stingless bee), captured in the Vallée de Mai, (b) Trigona sp., detail of abdomen and hind legs showing pollen grains of coco de mer, (c) Apis mellifera (European honeybee), visiting male inflorescence on Curieuse (note full pollen sacs on hind legs), (d) Apis mellifera, captured in the Vallée de Mai: detail of hind leg pollen sac showing pollen grains of coco de mer enclosed by hairs (e) Cyrturella sp. (dolichopodid fly), captured in the Vallée de Mai, (f) Vaginula seychellensis (white slug) feeding on male flowers of coco de mer, Vallée de Mai (g) Ailuronyx seychellensis (bronze gecko), Vallée de Mai, (h) Ailuronyx seychellensis, contents of droppings (pollen of L. maldivica) viewed under SEM, (i) Phelsuma sundbergi (giant day gecko) feeding on male flowers of coco de mer, Vallée de Mai, (j) ant, possibly Solenopsis mameti, visiting female flower of L. maldivica, Vallée de Mai, (k) wasp visiting female inflorescence of L. maldivica, Singapore Botanic Gardens. Scale bars: (a) = 500 μm; (b) = 100 μm; (c) = 2 mm; (d) = 200 μm; (e) = 500 μm; (f) = 2 cm; (g) = 2 cm; (h) = 50 μm; (i) = 5 mm; (j) = 5 mm; (k) = 10 cm.