Diurnal pollination, primarily by a single species of rodent, documented in Protea foliosa using modified camera traps

Abstract Bowl-shaped inflorescences, geoflory, dull-coloured flowers and winter flowering suggest that Proteafoliosa is adapted for rodent- pollination. To test this hypothesis, rodentswere trapped in a large P. foliosa population near Grahamstown and examined for the presence of pollen on their snoutsand in their scats. Camera traps, modified for near focus ( Rhabdomys pumilioand Otomys irroratus, and a species of shrew, Crocidura cyanea, were captured and all had P. foliosa pollen presenton their snouts, but only R. pumilio was recorded on camera probing the flowers. Very little pollen was found in the scat of C. cyanea compared to the scat of R. pumilio and none was found in the scat of O. irroratus . No camera trapfootage was captured of any pollinationbehaviour at night; however, seventeen rodent–flower interactions were recorded during the day. A bait station was established near the flowers to test the efficacy of the camera trapsat night by using food to attract animals into the field of view of the camera traps. All three trapped mammal species were recorded at the bait station and photographed a number of times in the night, confirming the absence of nocturnal pollinatoractivity. Exclusion of mammals from P. foliosa inflorescencesusing wire cages, and the exclusion of all potential floral visitors with nylon mesh bags resulted in a significant reduction in seed set. Unlike previous studies on rodent- pollinatedplants, we conclude that P. foliosa is pollinatedalmost exclusively during daylight and primarily by a single rodentspecies, R. pumilio .