The Systematic and Geographical Distribution of Hawkmoth Flowers in the Temperate North American Flora

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Abstract
A list of the plant species with hawkmoth flowers that occur naturally in temperate North America north of Mexico contains 105 spp. in 16 families; hawkmoth pollination records are available for 38 spp. in 12 families. The most important single plant group contributing hawkmoth flowers in temperate North America is Oenothera (40 spp. that collectively range throughout the entire area), followed by Nyctaginaceae (13 spp. in the Southwest), Amaryllidaceae (15 spp. in the South and Southeast), and Datura (5 widely distributed species). Other plant groups are represented by only 1 or a few sphingophilous species. Temperate North American sphingophilous plant species fall into 2 classes in terms of their floristic affinities: subtropical or tropical species that extend north into the southern part of the USA, and new indigenous species that have evolved in temperate North America. The floral tube in most of these sphingophilous species is moderately long, 2-7 cm, corresponding to the proboscis length of common and widespread sphingids such as Hyles lineata. A number of sphingophilous species in the USA have floral tubes of 9 cm or more. The southwestern sphingophilous species with very long tubes are associated with Manduca moths with correspondingly long proboscides. A comparable association may occur in the south-central and southeastern USA.

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