The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

Salvia Divinorum
THE BOTANY OF SALVIA DIVINORUM (LABIATAE)
Co-Evolved Pollinators
Although several flowering
populations were finally found
during the winter of 1983-84, at
no time was a legitimate
pollinator observed visiting
flowers. While poor flight
conditions for Hymenoptera
often prevailed, pollinators were
also conspicuously absent during
an entire, sunny, hot afternoon while flowers were collected near Cerro
Quemado. Bumblebees were active in the area, but they ignored the white
and violet inflorescences of S. divinorum as they do scarlet flowers of many
ornithophilous salvias. The explanation for this behavior is suggested by
the dimensions of the S. divinorum corolla, which more resembles those of
ornithophilous Salvias than melittophilous ones (Fig. 3). The sigmoid
corolla tube is 19-22 mm long, and measures only 2 by 1.5 mm at its
narrowest point, near the throat. The lower lip, which is horizontally
expanded to form a landing platform on bee flowers, is instead vertically
oriented, with the middle lobe somewhat cupped, like those of classical
hummingbird pollinated Salvias. The sigmoid curvature of the corolla tube
is uncommon in bee flowers, but characterizes several bird pollinated
species of Salvia, such as those in sect. Flexuosae Epling.
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