Bog ericad flowers: self-compatibility and relative attractiveness to bees

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Abstract
The seed set of 8 bog plants in the Ericaceae family [Chamaedaphne calyeulata, Andromeda glaucophylla, Kalmia polifolia, Ledum Groenlandicum, Gaultheria procumbens, Vaccinium oxycoccus, V. macrocarpon and V. myrtilloides] was reduced by excluding insect flower visitor even though hand-pollination tests showed that all 8 spp. were self-compatible. Floral morphology evidently minimizes the possibility that pollen will be transferred from anther to stigma in the absence of insect visitation. Bees were the most important flower visitors, collecting nectar and (or) pollen. The attractiveness (nectar and (or) pollen extractable per minute) of the ericad flowers varied considerably. This variability would promote forager specialization and flowering-timing diversification if the ratio of insect visitors to flowers was low.

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