Dear Radha, Even I was not sure and hence had googled the minute I saw Sonia's link. It seems the lemurs are indeed the pollinators for this. Please see the below 2 links.
"Ruffed lemurs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffed_lemur> are a known pollinator <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollinator> of this plant, and given the size and structure of theinflorescences<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflorescence>, as well as the lemur's selectivity, method of feeding, and long muzzle, this relationship is thought to have coevolved<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coevolution> .[3] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenala#cite_note-Garbutt-3>" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravenala http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search/display.do?f=1995/US/US95241.xml;US9501857 Thanks Satish On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 5:32 PM, radha veach <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > my understanding from the article is that the seeds are dispersed by the > lemurs. Not sure who the pollinators are. > > regards > Radha > > > On 27 November 2012 17:25, Satish Sherikar <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Dear Radha, Sonia, >> >> Thanks for the beautiful pictures and info. My traveller's palm too >> has flowered for the first time this year (almost 3-4 years since >> planting). I was thinking of chopping the sticky, gluey flower bracts. But >> your seeds have given me a reason to wait. Not sure if it will get >> pollinated though. Still very curious as to what could the lemurs be >> looking for among these palms that they are used for pollination. Also this >> species propagates vegetatively as well. Mine already has a new >> growth crowding the main tree and putting out its leaves which are about a >> meter long already. >> >> Thanks >> Satish >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 5:09 PM, Sonia Chauhan >> <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Amazing! I have never seen it flowering & fruiting. Thank you Radha ji >>> for sharing this lovely sight. I was under the impression that this >>> species does not flower & fruit in India since it is pollinated by >>> ruffed lemurs. >>> >>> The Kew website has an interesting article on the reason behind the >>> blue colour, a rare colour for seeds : >>> >>> >>> http://www.kew.org/news/kew-blogs/millennium-seed-bank/blue-seeds-of-madagascar.htm >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> Sonia Chauhan >>> >>> On 27 November 2012 15:15, radhaveach <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > >>> > Hi everyone, >>> > >>> > here are pics of the seeds of Ravenala madascariensis, Travelers Palm >>> taken in a private garden. >>> > When the seeds are ripe you find lots of pieces of what looks like >>> blue plastic littering the ground beneath the tree - they look quite unreal. >>> > >>> > best regards >>> > Radha >>> > >>> > -- >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > --
