Heliconia caribaea

A pair of etchings by New Zealand-born artist Bryan Poole represents a unique case of plant-animal interactions: two different species of heliconia from the Caribbean island of Dominica pollinated by a single species of hummingbird, the Purple-throated Carib (Eulampis jugularis). The males, characterized by a short straight bill, only visit Heliconia caribaea, taking advantage of its compact flowers; by contrast, the females, equipped with longer curved bills, prefer the elongated flowers of Heliconia bihai, having the ability to extract their nectar. Such distinct feeding habits are instances of evolutionary relationships within ecosystems that are increasingly under threat. The etchings were a result of a trip to the Caribbean that Poole undertook with botanist John Kress.