Floral specialization increases pollination precision: the roles of floral orientation, symmetry, fusion and stamen number

Armbruster, W. Scott

doi:10.1111/nph.18215

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 18 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…within Apocynaceae [ 38 ]) while some zygomorphic flowers are visited by many pollinators [ 11 , 39 ]. Floral symmetry is by no means the only floral trait involved in pollination specialization, and other floral traits such as floral tubes or floral orientation could mediate the effect of symmetry on longevity by affecting rates of pollinator visitation [ 40 ]. Reproductive traits such as dichogamy, self-incompatibility and cleistogamy may also play a role in the relationship between floral longevity and floral symmetry, given these traits can affect the speed at which a flower achieves its function and may be unevenly distributed between zygomorphic and actinomorphic species [ 22 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zygomorphic flowers last longer: the evolution of floral symmetry and floral longevity

Stephens,

Gallagher,

Méndez

et al. 2024

Biol. Lett.

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Floral longevity, the length of time a flower remains open and functional, is a phylogenetically conserved trait that balances floral costs against the rate at which flowers are pollinated. Floral symmetry has long been considered a key trait in floral evolution. Although zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric) flowers typically receive fewer floral visitors than actinomorphic (radially symmetric) flowers, it is yet to be determined whether this could be associated with longer floral longevity. Using newly collected field data combined with data from the literature on 1452 species in 168 families, we assess whether floral longevity covaries with floral symmetry in a phylogenetic framework. We find that zygomorphic flowers last on average 1.1 days longer than actinomorphic flowers, a 26.5% increase in longevity, with considerable variation across both groups. Our results provide a basis to discuss the ecological and evolutionary costs of zygomorphy for plants. Despite these costs, zygomorphy has evolved numerous times throughout angiosperm history, and we discuss which rewards may outweigh the costs of slower pollination in zygomorphic flowers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zygomorphic flowers last longer: the evolution of floral symmetry and floral longevity

Stephens,

Gallagher,

Méndez

et al. 2024

Biol. Lett.

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Reduced pollination in bilateral flowers could reflect selfing avoidance

Cunha

Aizen

2023

Flora

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Convergent evolutionary patterns of heterostyly across angiosperms support the pollination-precision hypothesis

Simón-Porcar,

Escudero,

Santos-Gally

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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Since the insights by Charles Darwin, heterostyly, a floral polymorphism with morphs bearing stigmas and anthers at reciprocal heights, has become a model system for the study of natural selection. Based on his archetypal heterostylous flower, including regular symmetry, few stamens and a tube, Darwin hypothesised that heterostyly evolved to promote outcrossing through efficient pollen transfer between morphs involving different areas of a pollinator’s body, thus proposing his seminal pollination-precision hypothesis. Here we update the number of heterostylous and other style-length polymorphic taxa to 247 genera belonging to 34 families, notably expanding known cases by 20%. Using phylogenetic and comparative analyses across the angiosperms, we show numerous independent origins of style-length polymorphism associated with actinomorphic, tubular flowers with a low number of sex organs, stamens fused to the corolla, and pollination by long-tongued insects. These associations provide support for the Darwinian pollination-precision hypothesis as a basis for convergent evolution of heterostyly across angiosperms.

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Floral specialization increases pollination precision: the roles of floral orientation, symmetry, fusion and stamen number

Cited by 4 publications

References 18 publications

Zygomorphic flowers last longer: the evolution of floral symmetry and floral longevity

Zygomorphic flowers last longer: the evolution of floral symmetry and floral longevity

Reduced pollination in bilateral flowers could reflect selfing avoidance

Convergent evolutionary patterns of heterostyly across angiosperms support the pollination-precision hypothesis

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