FLORAL NECTAR SUGAR COMPOSITIONS OF SOME SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST-ASIAN SPECIES

Floral nectars of 62 species native to south and southeast Asia were sampled opportunistically, mostly in Malaysia, and analyzed for sugar composition by HPLC. The sugar compositions of these nectars have not been previously reported in the literature. The distribution of the nectars in terms of percentage sucrose tended to be one of two extremes; either high sucrose or low sucrose. Principal pollinators of only a few of these species have been hypothesized in the literature. Most of these had nectar sugar compositions consistent with the principal pollinators posited. A few did not. Sugar compositions of Old World bat-pollinated species were typically found to be much richer in sucrose than those of New World bat flowers and to vary considerably. Possible reasons for these observations are discussed.