This purported symbiosis was investigated by Barrett and Lamont in 1985, but no evidence of nitrogen fixing was found. Further investigation by Markey and Lamont in 1996 suggested that the discolouration is not caused by cyanobacteria or other microorganisms in the nectar, but is rather "a chemical phenomenon of plant origin".
In 1985, Barrett and Lamont investigated a purported symbiosis, but found no evidence of nitrogen fixation.  Later research by Markey and Lamont in 1996 determined that the discoloration is not due to microorganisms in the nectar, but rather a chemical process originating from the plant itself.