Flower visitors of Streptocarpus teitensis: implications for conservation of a critically endangered African violet species in Kenya.

Insects appear to be essential flower visitors necessary for increased fruit set in S. teitensis. However, there is evidence of a mixed breeding system involving putative self-pollination and cross-pollination suggesting that S. teitensis is somewhat shielded from the negative effects of pollinator losses. Consequently, S. teitensis appears to be protected to a degree from the risks such as reproduction failure associated with pollinator losses by the presence of a safety net in putative self-pollination.