关键词: 油麻藤属, 爆裂传粉, 种子传播, 分散贮藏型啮齿动物, 双重互惠, 动植物互作, 协同适应

Abstract: Aims Mucuna is a pantropically distributed genus of leguminous lianas, renowned for its unique ecological traits such as cauliflory, explosive pollination, and vine strangling, as well as its diverse economic, medicinal, and ornamental values, making it an ideal model for studying plant–animal mutualism and coadaptation. Based on a systematic review of global literature from 1970–2025, including gray literature, this study analyzes how multisensory signals (visual, olfactory, auditory, tactile) during flowering and fruiting/seed dispersal phases shape pollination and seed dispersal syndromes in Mucuna, and compares the geographic differentiation of pollination modes with the convergent features of seed dispersal mechanisms across continents. Results Our synthesis show clear intercontinental divergence in pollination systems: in South America, M. holtonii and M. urens have evolved an acoustic–olfactory syndrome dependent on echolocating bats, using concave banner petals to reflect ultrasound and secreting sulfur-rich nectar at night to target bat pollinators; M. japira exhibits a visual–taste syndrome relying on birds, attracting Cacicus haemorrhous with bright yellow flowers and fructose-rich nectar, and utilizing butterfly pupae as an indirect trigger for explosive pollination. In Asia, several species of the Macrocarpa subgenus have developed an olfactory–climbing accessibility syndrome mediated by non-volant mammals (squirrels, macaques, civets), employing cauliflory, strong putrid odor, and short pedicels to facilitate nectar access and flower triggering in dense forests. In seed dispersal, several Mucuna species from both South American and Asian exhibit convergent seed dispersal syndromes shaped by scatter-hoarding rodents, characterized by synergistic adaptations in seed size and morphology, nutrient content, and physical and chemical defenses. Seeds are generally large (several grams fresh weight), rich in protein and lipids, and possess a hard woody hull and high L-DOPA concentration—a “high reward–high defense” combination—that attracts rodents while deterring immediate consumption through increased handling costs and toxicity. Rodents carry seeds and cache them singly within ~20 m of parent plants, effectively reducing density-dependent predation and enhancing germination chances. In Asia (China), research on M. sempervirens provided the first empirical evidence of rodents performing dual mutualism in both pollination and seed dispersal, suggesting this pattern may be widespread among Asian Mucuna. By integrating literature survey and methodological systems, this study has refined the technical framework for exploring the pollination and seed dispersal of Mucuna species. It is expected to provide new insights into the biogeographic dynamic mechanisms of co-adaptation between Mucuna and its animal partners, and to offer scientific support for its in-situ conservation and management practices.

Key words: Mucuna, explosive pollination, seed dispersal, scatter-hoarding rodents, double mutualism, plant-animal interaction, coadaptation