Bestuiven slakken Verspreidbladig goudveil Chrysosplenium alternifolium L.?

The role of snails and slugs in the pollination of Chrysosplenium alternifolium was mentioned during guided tours in the National Park of the Białowieża Forest (Eastern Poland). No specific literature that could confirm this role appeared to be available. During a short field study that was conducted during a rainy April evening, only one slug was found on a flower. At daylight a variety of insects, particularly ants, were found and studied. In a study on malacophily in Volvulopsis nummularium, the authors suppose that ants are the main pollinators during daylight while snails perform this task both during rainy days and at night. This would be a particular good strategy for vernal plant species that have a particular short time of flowering between the severe winters and the warm dark summers under the forest canopy. A more systematic research in the same area will be conducted in the spring of 2011.