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Published on: October 8, 2021
Plant cells which aid in pollen digestion within a beetle's gut
Fred R Rickson1, M Cresti2, James H Beach3
1Department of Botany, Oregon State University, 97331, Corvallis, OR, USA.
Abstract:
The peach palm, Bactris gasipaes H.B.K., in Costa Rica, possesses unusual trichomes on the inflorescence epidermal surface. Certain cells of the trichome possess a thick, highly lignified cell wall and are consumed by the beetle Cyclocephala amazona L. before it ingests pollen from the same inflorescence. Chemical analyses show the trichome to possess no nutritive value. The thick-walled trichome cells pass intact through the beetle's digestive system, while ingested pollen is crushed. We suggest that the specialized plant cells function as gastroliths in the beetle's digestive tract.
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