Reproductive biology of palma amarga (Sabal mauritiiformis: Arecaceae): Economically important species for the colombia caribbean coast

Sabal mauritiiformis is one of the most important non-timber natural economic resources in the Co-lombian Caribbean and its leaves are widely marketed for housing. The study was conducted between January 2013 and December 2015, during which floral biology phases were recorded every four hours for fiveteen days. The reproductive system was determined through controlled pollination assays in 3000 flowers. The reproductive efficiency was evaluated from 21 inflorescences, in which we recorded the num-ber of flower buds, flowers, ripe fruits and aborted fruits. The floral visitors were determined from 32 inflorescences and their behavior documented from direct observations. Reproductive palms of Sabal mauritiiformis presented between one to nine inflorescences. Flowering occurred from April to Novem-ber. Each inflorescence blooms for 10–20 days, with hermaphrodite flowers that entered anthesis between 01h:00–04h:00, although anther dehiscence occurred between 06h:30– 07h:30 and the stigmas were receptive between 10h:00–13h:00. Sabal mauritiiformis is self-incompatible, non-apomitic and predominantly xenogamic. A total of 65 species of insects and ten of arachnids visited inflorescences, but effective cross-pollination is predominantly carried out by the stingless bees (Meliponini), Nannotrigona mellaria and Scaptotrigona sp. 1. The documented reproductive efficiency was only 7.6 %, a phenome-non that could be associated with the continuous cutting of leaves, high rates of flower predation and low efficiency of pollen transport