Pollination Biology of Lapeirousia subgenus Lapeirousia (Iridaceae) in southern Africa; floral divergence and adaptation for long-tongued fly-pollination Abstract | Materials and Methods | Results | Discussion | Literature Table 5. Floral characters and pollinators of Lapeirousia sub. Lapeirousia of Namaqualand and the Cape West Coast. Prosoeca and Megistorhynchus are long-proboscid flies of the family Nemestrinidae; Philoliche is a long-tongued fly of the family Tabanidae (only P. gulosa has been collected on species of subgenus Lapeirousia). Data here represent original observations; pollination of L. oreogena by Prosoeca sp. was first observed by K. Steiner (pers. comm.); pollination of L. anceps by M. longirostris was first reported by Hesse in Vogel (1954). Visits to L. barklyi by Parafidelia major, its presumed pollinator, have been noted by V. Whitehead (pers. comm.). Z = zygomorphic; A = actinomorphic; V = vivid red, purple or violet shades with contrasting pale nectar guides; P = pale blue (or pink); W = white; CR = pale cream with red markings; N = no scent; S = weak odor; SS strong odor; - = no data. Species Flower Pollinator Mouth part mm Floral tube mm Symmetry Color Scent L. silenoides group L. dolomitica subsp. dolomitica Z V S Pr. peringueyi 33 35-40 subsp. lewisiana Z V N - - 45-50 L. jacquinii Z V N Pr. sp. and Pr. peringueyi 30 33-35 L. pyramidalis subsp. regalis Z V N Pr. peringueyi 35 40-47 L. oreogena A V N Pr. sp. 37 53-63(-70) L. silenoides Z V N Pr. peringueyi 35 43-55 L. violacea Z V N Pr. peringueyi 32 34-40 L. divaricata group L. barklyi Z P N Parafidelia - L. divaricata Z W S noctuid moth and 7-8 23-25 anthophorid bees 8-10 9-11 L. exilis A W SS bombyliid flies honey bees 6-8 20-251 L. montana A P-W S various2 6-12 43-553 L. plicata A W N bombyliid flies and honey bees 6-8 15-203 L. pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis Z P SS hawkmoth 22 25-28 L. spinosa Z W S Hoplitis similis 5 10-12 L. tenuis Z P S - - 12-15 L. fabricii group L. anceps Z CR N Megistorhynchus 54-60 65-76 L. arenicola Z CR N - - 17-21 L. fabricii Z CR N Megistorhynchus 42-46 38-47 and Philoliche 31-34 45-48 L. macrospatha Z CR N - - 31-34 L. simulans Z CR N - - 28-35 L. verecunda Z CR N - - 38-49 1 A pocket of air in the base of the tube forces the nectar upward ca. 8-10 mm, effective tube length 8-10 mm 2 Anthophorid bees (Anthophora krugeri), butterflies (Cynthia cardui), bombyliid flies, noctuid moths 3 Lower half of tube completely closed, effective tube length ca. 25 mm for L. montana, 5-8 mm for L. plicata TOP