Résumé
Few studies have examined insects visiting flowers of tropical Violaceae. This study presents results from field work in Ivory Coast and from the examination of cultivated plants of three species in the two largest tropical genera, Rinorea and Hybanthus. Field observations showed that Hybanthus enneaspermus flowers opened only one morning and were visited by a single bee species. In contrast, the two species of Rinorea observed, which have flowers that do not close, were visited by many and various insects. Cultivation showed that self-pollination, with viable seeds production, appears likely in H. enneaspermus, perhaps as a means of compensating for the possible scarcity of pollinators. Floral structures would support allogamy first, and then lead to autogamy.