Acta Botânica Brasílica (Dec 2015)

Ecological aspects of Langsdorffia hypogaea (Balanophoraceae) parasitism in the Pantanal wetlands

  • Carlos Rodrigo Lehn,
  • Suzana Maria Salis,
  • Patrícia Póvoa Mattos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062015abb0216
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 4
pp. 608 – 612

Abstract

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Most studies on holoparasitic plants have focused on taxonomic or systematic issues. The objective of this study was to examine the ecological aspects of parasitism of Langsdorffia hypogaea (Balanophoraceae) in the Pantanal wetlands. Individuals of L. hypogaea were dug out by hand and the host trees were identified. Eighty-eight percent of host trees exhibited zoochory dispersal syndrome. Protium heptaphyllum and Cordiera sessilis represented 50% of the sampled trees. Both species are evergreen and are preferentially shade-tolerant species growing under the canopy of other trees. Fecal sample of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) had seeds from both the host tree (Protium sp.) and the parasite L. hypogaea. We therefore propose the hypothesis that P. tajacu play a role as a seed disperser and may affect root parasitism.

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