Search

Streaked Spiderhunter stealing nectar from angel’s trumpet

on 24th August 2010

Lena Chow sent in an image of a Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna) stealing nectar from the large flower of the angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida). The image was taken at Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia where she was holidaying in August 2010.

The plant is a hybrid between two tropical Andean species, B. aurea and B. versicola. It is a popular ornamental and widely cultivated for its large, hanging, trumpet-shaped flowers. The plant’s natural pollinator is a species of night moth with a very long proboscis. The Streaked Spiderhunter here is probing the base of the flower to get at the nectar – just like the sunbird stealing nectar from the hibiscus flower or the bulbul stealing nectar from that of the African tulip.

Brugmansia as well as Datura are notoriously known for their poisonous and hallucinogenic properties. The main ingredients are hyoscyamine and scopolamine, found in all parts of the plant. These plants have a long history of medicinal and ritual use.

In the ancient Hindu custom of suttee, a recently widowed woman was supposed to walk into her husband’s burning funeral pyre. Apparently the widow was fed with datura seeds that disorientated her, thus allowing others to direct her into the funeral pyre.

References:
1
. Wee, Y.C. (2005). Plants that heal, thrill and kill. SNP Reference, Singapore.
2. Whistler, W. A. (2000). Tropical Ornamentals – a guide. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives

Overall visits (since 2005)

Live visitors
851
6443
Visitors Today
51618398
Total
Visitors

Clustrmaps (since 2016)