The Cactaceae display a wide array of pollination systems, with many different animals already confirmed as pollinators. Pilosocereus is one of the most conspicuous bat-pollinated genera characteristic of the tropical dry forests of Brazil, known as Caatinga. The role of bats, hawkmoths and bees as pollinators in natural populations was investigated for four Pilosocereus species (P. catingicola, P. chrysostele, P. gounellei and P. pachycladus). Earlier results obtained with P. tuberculatus were also included in the comparative discussion. These species depend mainly upon nocturnal visitors; however, Xylocopa grisescens bees also play a secondary role in the fruit set. Although chiropterophily is predominant in Pilosocereus, P. gounellei was visited and pollinated at night exclusively by sphingids. All species are described as presenting a chiropterophilous syndrome based on their nocturnal anthesis, strong and unpleasant flower scent, pale, white or cream inner perianth, compact and abundant flower parts, and large volume of nectar with low sugar concentration. Pollen is available and the stigma is receptive throughout anthesis. With the exception of P. gounellei, there was no fruit set from spontaneous or manual self-pollination, indicating that allogamy is the predominant reproductive system in all the species studied. These species thus rely on animals that function as efficient pollen vectors for their sexual reproduction. The Pilosocereus species present different levels of dependence on bats, from the participation of secondary pollinators to not being visited by bats at all. Dependence levels are associated with the species floral attributes, which, although subdued, can determine different pollination systems.

中文翻译：

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柱状仙人掌的生殖生物学：蝙蝠是否是典型的嗜手蝇属 Pilosocereus 授粉的唯一主角？

仙人掌科展示了广泛的授粉系统，许多不同的动物已被确认为授粉者。Pilosocereus 是巴西热带干燥森林中最显眼的蝙蝠授粉属之一，被称为 Caatinga。蝙蝠、天蛾和蜜蜂在自然种群中作为传粉媒介的作用对四种 Pilosocereus 物种（P. catingicola、P. chrysostele、P. gounellei 和 P. pachycladus）进行了调查。用结核杆菌获得的早期结果也包括在比较讨论中。这些物种主要依赖夜行者；然而，灰木蜂在坐果中也起着次要作用。尽管在 Pilosocereus 中占主导地位的是 chiropterophily，但 P. gounellei 只在夜间被鞘翅目访问和授粉。根据它们的夜间开花、强烈而令人不快的花香、苍白、白色或奶油色的内花被、紧密而丰富的花部分以及大量的低糖浓度的花蜜，所有物种都被描述为表现出嗜手性综合症。花粉是可用的，柱头在整个花期都可以接受。除 P. gounellei 外，没有自发或人工自花授粉结果，表明同种异体是所有研究物种的主要生殖系统。因此，这些物种依赖于作为有效花粉载体进行有性繁殖的动物。Pilosocereus 物种对蝙蝠表现出不同程度的依赖，从次级传粉媒介的参与到根本没有蝙蝠访问。