Understanding naturalization processes of introduced species has become increasingly important. Relatively few orchids have naturalized. The lack of appropriate pollinators is believed to be an impediment to naturalization of orchids. We studied the breeding system and pollination of an invasive, showy, terrestrial orchid (Cyrtopodium polyphyllum) in southern Florida to learn its pollination patterns and to decide whether nor not there is a pollination limitation. 

Results/Conclusions

Pollination treatments indicated that the orchid is self-compatible but not autogamous. Pollinator watches indicated that the orchid is pollinated by an invasive specialist oil-collecting bee (Centris nitida). This finding suggests that the orchid uses the oil reward flower mimicry pollination syndrome. Pollinator visitation and pollination sucess (pollinaria removal and fruit set percentages) were lower in plants in a large invasive population in a pineland than in low numbers of plants placed in two residential gardens. The presence of the oil-reward flowers of Byrsonima lucida (which the bee regularly visits) in the garden sites, and negative relationships between population size and pollination success, may be responsible for the observed patterns. The relationship between pollination sucess and the total number of flowers per plant was positive, but negative when examined per flower. The presence of the invasive Centris nitida has probably enabled naturalization of this oil reward mimicking orchid in Florida and provided the naturalized orchid a potential coevolutionary trajectory in a new land.