The flowers of P. royenii have traits related to bat pollination. Nevertheless, bats were not effective pollinators during the study. Effective visits by X. mordax, a pollinator not predicted by the plant’s pollination syndrome, is an indication of generalized pollination. Although the shape, color, aroma, nectar volume and concentration of P. royenii‘s flowers suggest the chi- ropterophilous syndrome, the effective pollination by X. mordax contradicts this prediction. Even though the carpenter bee was the sole pollinator of this “chiropterophilous” cactus during our study, we do not characterize the pollination
system of P. royenii as either specialized or generalized because it may be simply a species in transition. If Hurricane Georges caused a decrease in the M. redmani population and if the bat recovers to become an effective pollinator of P. royenii, then the system may once again be functionally chiropterophilous. Selection regimes may then change and variation in floral characteristics may shift as has been demonstrated in other natural systems.