The anthers deiscense through two small apical pores is a feature found in many species of Solanaceae, especially in the genus Solanum. This feature restricts pollination to a group of female bees which are able to vibrate the anthers (buzz pollination). The phenology, floral biology and pollination of Solanum stramonifolium were studied between August/1999 and December/2000 in natural populations occurring at Dois Irmãos State Park, one of the last Atlantic forest remnants in Recife city, Pernambuco state (8°7'30"S and 34°52'30"W). Solanum stramonifolium is a shrub whose flowers are arranged in a racemose inflorescence and have white corolla and five stamens with poricide anthers disposed around the gynoecium. Anthesis occur early in the morning and the petals present a ultraviolet reflection pattern. Solanum stramonifolium presents continuous flowering pattern and have hermaphrodite (62%) and functional male flowers (38%), therefore the species is andromonoicious. Thirteen species of bees were observed visiting the flowers of S. stramonifolium (nine pollinators and four pollen robbers). The great and constant production of flowers of S. stramonifolium along the year is important to maintain the pollinators guild and to guarantee the plant reproduction.
Solanum; buzz-pollination; Atlantic Forest; melittophily; andromonoicy
