Scandinavian Association for Pollination Ecology honours Knut Fcegri 23 OIL FLOWERS AND OIL-COLLECTING BEES

ABSTRACT: Up to 1800 flowering plant species in 12 families offer floral oil as a reward to their pollinators. These plants are widely distributed geographically and systematically. Observations on Peruvian Calceolaria species (Scrophu-lariaceae) revealed that bees exploit floral oil and pollinate flowers. These bees were females and males of Chalepogenus and females of Centris (Hymenoptera, Anthophoridae). The level of local specialisation between plants and bees is comparable to a South African oil pollination interaction system between Redi-viva bees and Diascia plants