The diversity and evolution of pollination systems in Annonaceae

Abstract

The pollination biology of Annonaceae has received considerable attention, with data now available for > 45% of the genera (or genus‐equivalent clades) included in recent molecular phylogenetic analyses. This provides a basis for understanding evolutionary shifts in the pollination system within the family. The present study focuses on subfamilies Anaxagoreoideae, Ambavioideae and Annonoideae, for which robust, well‐resolved phylogenetic trees are available. Information is summarized on the pollination biology of individual clades and the evolutionary adaptations favouring different pollinator guilds evaluated. Although the majority of species of Annonaceae are pollinated by small beetles, five other pollinator groups are known: large beetles, thrips, flies, bees and cockroaches. Small‐beetle pollination is inferred as the ancestral pollination system, with all other systems being derived. Evolutionary shifts to pollination by large beetles, thrips and flies are unlikely to have been significantly constrained by previous adaptations favouring pollination by small beetles, as many of the adaptations to these different pollinator guilds are similar (including protogyny, partially enclosed floral chambers and olfactory cues). In contrast, however, the evolutionary shift to bee pollination has presumably been constrained by both protogyny (as pollen‐collecting bees are unlikely to visit pistillate‐phase flowers) and the presence of floral chambers. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 169, 222–244.

Experimental Evaluation of Insect Pollination versus Wind Pollination in Leucadendron (Proteaceae)

“…Nitidulids are important pollinators for several plant families, such as Annonaceae (Gottsberger 1999;Silberbauer-Gottsberger et al 2003;Teichert et al 2011;Saunders 2012) and Arecaceae (Listabarth 1996;Fava et al 2011). Our study of a broad range of species supports the findings of Hattingh and Giliomee (1989), who found P. cinerascens to be the main pollinator of L. microcephalum, L. salignum, and L. laureolum.…”

A taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Cremastosperma (Annonaceae), including five new species

“…At elevations of 0–2000 m. Flowers and fruit of species of Cremastosperma appear similar in overall morphology and ontology to those of other Annonaceae demonstrated or presumed to be beetle-pollinated and/or bird-dispersed. We have observed in various species that the inner petals form a loose pollination chamber when mature, similar to that observed in, for example, Guatteria (Gottsberger 1970); and flowers of Malmeoideae genera in general are visited at least predominantly by small beetles (Saunders 2012). Similarly, we have observed in various species that the fruits become fleshy at maturity and often present a colour contrast between, for example, black monocarps and bright red stipes, representing a classic bird/monkey dispersal syndrome (Gautier-Hion et al 1985).…”

Floral Biology and Pollination Ecology ofDesmos chinensis(Annonaceae): Assessing the Efficacy of Floral Synchrony for Promoting Xenogamy

“…3C) but also on beetles collected from pistillate-phase flowers, providing unequivocal evidence of interfloral movement. Nitidulid beetles are commonly reported as pollinators of other Annonaceae species (Silberbauer-Gottsberger et al 2003;Saunders 2012). Flowers of D. chinensis show many characteristics typical of cantharophily, including a partially enclosed pollination chamber with small apertures, pale-colored petals, and hairy ovaries surrounded by tightly packed stamens with extended connectives (van Heusden 1992; Saunders 2012).…”