LAUSR

The physiology of bat-pollinated flowers is particularly striking because the flowers secrete large amounts of nectar and emit peculiar odors (Fleming et al. 2009). Diverse floral parts, including nectar, can produce their own distinct scents and pollinators may use this scent variation amongst different flower parts to detect resource availability (Raguso 2004; Dötterl and Jürgens 2005). There are some indications of fragrant nectar in bat-pollinated plant species, but they are restricted to subjective descriptions based on human olfaction (e.g. Vriesea spp., Bromeliaceae - Sazima et al. 1995) or to identification of compounds that are very likely of microbial origin (Agave palmeri, Agavaceae- Raguso 2004).