This study dealt with phenology and flower visitors of some Bromeliaceae species in an Atlantic Forest area at Parque Estadual Intervales, southeastern Brazil. The taxa studied belonged to the genera Tillandsia L. (3 spp.), Vriesea Lindl. (5 spp.), Aechmea Ruiz & Pav. (3 spp.), Billbergia Thunb. (1 sp.) and Nidularium Lem. (2 spp.). Sample transects were established in areas with different succession stages, where the bromeliads were localized and marked. Flowering phenology surveys were made monthly. The bromeliad community showed a sequential flowering all along the year and most species flowered during the rainy season. The floral visitors were recorded by naturalistic observations. Eight hummingbird species visited the bromeliads flowers. Among them, Phaethornis eurynome Lesson and Thalurania glaucopis Gmelin were the most frequent visitors. Bromeliads were divided in two groups by similarity analysis of floral visitors (hummingbirds): a group represented by species visited by Trochilinae hummingbirds and another visited by Phaethornis eurynome (subfamily Phaethornithinae). The competition among bromeliad species for pollinators is reduced due to their spatial distribution and the flowering periods.
Atlantic Forest; Bromeliaceae; floral biology; hummingbirds; phenology
