濒危植物肉苁蓉（Cistanche deserticola）繁育系统研究

在自然居群中通过野外定位观测,运用杂交指数（OCI）;花粉—胚珠比（P/O）;去雄、套袋、人工授粉等方法对濒危植物肉苁蓉（Cistanche deserticola Ma）的花序发育、开花特性、花粉活力、柱头可授性、传粉方式、繁育系统进行了研究,结果表明：肉苁蓉穗状无限花序的生长发育期可明显分为拱土期、出土期、开花期、结实与种子成熟期四个阶段。两性花,单花开放时间2~3d,花序有花期持续20~25d。种群开花历时36~38d。开花时柱头略高出花药,柱头较大,下垂。重力玻片法检测,风媒导致的异株异花传粉完全可以忽略。主要访花昆虫为蜂类。扫描电镜观察虫体,蜂类携带大量花粉,但传粉飞行距离大部分为0。杂交指数为3;花粉—胚珠比为35.45±8.56;结合去雄、套袋和人工授粉试验结果,认为肉苁蓉属于以自交为主的繁育系统。     

地下结实植物白番红花的繁育系统与传粉生物学

地下结实是植物用来防御不利环境的一种策略, 研究地下结实植物的繁殖特性, 可以揭示它们的繁殖对策多样性, 对于探讨环境选择压力对其繁育系统及后代适合度的影响具有重要意义。白番红花(Crocus alatavicus)是一种分布在天山西部亚高山带、具地下芽和地下结实特性的早春短命植物。我们采用野外观测和统计分析方法, 对该物种的繁育系统与传粉生物学及其对亚高山环境的适应进行了研究。研究结果表明: 白番红花具有先花后叶的特性, 于4月上中旬始花, 呈爆发式开花式样; 花白色, 无花蜜无气味; 开花时, 下位子房位于地下, 花蕾在地上开放并随光照变化而开闭; 单花花期为6–9 d, 花萎蔫时花粉活性仍保持在75.39±5.69%, 柱头可授期为8 d。人工授粉实验结果显示, 该物种属于兼性异交繁育系统, 且具有自主自花授粉能力。白番红花属于泛化传粉系统, 鲁熊蜂 (Bombus lucorum)、老条蜂 (Anthophora senilis)和黄腹地花蜂 (Andrena capillosa)是有效传粉昆虫, 通过采食花粉进行传粉, 访花频率分别为0.50±0.27次•花–1•h–1、0.18±0.08次•花–1•h–1和0.13±0.05次•花–1•h–1。在天山西部亚高山早春环境中, 白番红花不仅利用其开花式样、泛化传粉系统及早春空白生态位来提高传粉效率, 而且通过自交亲和及主动自花授粉等繁育系统特征来弥补传粉昆虫少及访花频率低的不足, 从而保障繁殖成功。     

黄花角蒿(Incarvillea sinensis var. przewalskii)开花动态及繁育系统的研究

通过野外定点观察,运用花粉—胚珠比、联苯胺—过氧化氢法、杂交指数、人工授粉和套袋试验等方法,对黄花角蒿(Incarvillea sinensis var. przewalskii)的开花动态及繁育系统进行了研究。结果表明：黄花角蒿种群花期一般为6~9月,单花花期一般为2~3 d,花雌雄异熟,雄蕊先熟,雌雄蕊异位。单花花期依其形态和散粉特征可分为散粉初期、散粉盛期、散粉末期、凋谢期4个时期。黄花角蒿花粉—胚珠比为331.3,杂交指数等于5,结合人工授粉和套袋实验结果可以确定该物种的繁育系统为异交,部分自交亲和,需要传粉者。套袋实验及实地观察显示黄花角蒿为虫媒传粉。     

牛耳朵传粉生物学研究

苦苣苔科(Gesneriaceae)报春苣苔属(Primulina Hance)是一个近年来备受关注的类群,其纷繁复杂的物种多样性和属下种间的特有分布引起了分类学家和植物学研究者的极大兴趣。该属除了极少数的物种如牛耳朵[(Primulina eburnea(Hance)Y. Z. Wang)]以外,绝大部分的物种为狭域分布或地方特有种,其分布范围很窄。为了揭示牛耳朵的传粉生物学和繁育系统对其生殖过程和拓殖能力的影响机制,作者系统地研究了牛耳朵的开花物候、花粉与柱头活性、访花昆虫的种类和访花行为、花粉胚珠比、OCI指数和套袋实验结实率,探究其传粉等生殖过程对牛耳朵的广布是否有正面影响。结果表明:牛耳朵的自然花期是3—5月,全花期约45 d,其中盛花期约20 d,单花期6～8 d; 开花后1～2 d花粉活力最强,开花前柱头没有可授性; 花粉胚珠比为537; 杂交指数为5; 去雌套袋、去雄套袋均无法结实,说明本种不存在无融合生殖; 与自然授粉相比,自花授粉结实率略低,异花授粉结实率略高,说明自交亲和; 牛耳朵的主要传粉者是花条蜂(Anthophora florea)和熊蜂(Bombus sp.)。花蜜产量较高、花粉量较大、花粉活力较强等特点,有利于牛耳朵完成传粉和结实的整个繁殖过程。因此,这一结果显然有利于牛耳朵的拓殖进而广布在我国华南至西南地区的喀斯特地区。     

野牡丹异型雄蕊的功能分化

野牡丹科植物具有形态、大小和颜色显著不同的两种异型雄蕊。关于其异型雄蕊是否具有功能分化还一直存在争论。本文以野牡丹科植物野牡丹(Melastoma malabathricum)为实验材料, 比较了两种异型雄蕊在传粉过程中的功能作用。结果表明, 两种异型雄蕊在形态、花粉量和人工控制实验条件下的结籽数, 以及主要传粉昆虫木蜂(Xylocopa sp.)访花时的行为等方面都有显著差异, 说明两种雄蕊在传粉过程中存在一定的功能分化: 外轮紫色雄蕊中的花粉为后代提供雄配子, 而内轮黄色雄蕊中的花粉则为传粉昆虫提供食物。但两种雄蕊在花粉活性、花粉组织化学成分和结实率方面差异均不显著, 表明两者在生理上并没有分化。实验结果还表明, 除花前套袋不结实外, 自交、异交和自然对照都具有较高的结实率, 说明野牡丹不存在无融合生殖和主动自交及自交不亲和现象, 为兼性异交。     

濒危植物缙云卫矛繁育系统研究

运用花粉萌发、联苯胺-过氧化氢法、花粉—胚珠比、杂交指数和套袋实验等方法,对缙云卫矛(Eu-onymuschloranthoidesYang)花粉活力、柱头可授性及繁育系统进行了研究。结果表明缙云卫矛花粉-胚珠比为764~1340,杂交指数等于3,结合人工授粉和套袋实验结果可以确定该物种的繁育系统属于自交亲和,有时需要传粉者。根据套袋实验及实地观察可以推测该物种以风媒传粉为主。其花粉活力较高,持续时间较长,花粉质量可能不是导致该物种濒危的主要原因。其雌雄性功能表达具一定的重叠期,提高了同株异花授粉的几率,雌雄性功能表达在时间上的差异不是影响其结实率的主要原因。气候条件对传粉过程的限制可能是导致该物种濒危的原因之一。     

中国特有种——沙芥繁育系统和传粉生物学研究

运用定位观察、杂交指数、花粉-胚珠比、套袋试验和重力玻片法等方法,对沙芥自然居群和人工栽培种群的开花日动态、繁育系统和传粉习性进行了研究.结果显示:沙芥在自然居群和人工栽培种群开花日高峰分别在19:00和15:00～18:00.沙芥繁育系统为异花授粉植物.沙芥传粉媒介中风的飘移能力非常微弱;沙芥自然居群的访花昆虫有19种,分属于6个目;人工栽培种群的访花昆虫有11种,分属于6个目.意大利蜜蜂、熊蜂、黑带食蚜蝇和拟蜂食蚜蝇是两个居群共有的主要传粉昆虫,在自然居群熊蜂每天的访花频率呈双峰曲线,其中访花最高峰与开花日高峰基本重叠.     

二型花柱植物金荞麦的繁殖生态学研究

通过野外实验观察和人工控制套袋等方法,从金养麦的花部基本特征、开花动态、花粉胚珠比(P/O)、花粉活力、柱头可授性、杂交指数、套袋实验及访花昆虫等方面对其繁殖生态学进行了研究.结果显示:(1)金荞麦在同一居群中同时具有长柱型(L-型)和短柱型(S-型)两种花型,短花柱花直径(7.25±0.11 mm)显著大于长花柱花直径(6.79±0.11 mm),长花柱花的柱头和花药高分别为3.39±0.04 mm和1.80±0.02 mm,短花柱花的柱头和花药高则分别为1.89±0.04 mm和3.19±0.06 rnm,表现出互补式雌雄异位的花部特征.(2)金荞麦8～10月开花,单花序的花期为15～23 d,单花的花期为1～3 d,开花进程中,内轮雄蕊先散粉,外轮雄蕊后散粉;S-型花的花粉活力高于L型花的花粉活力,但其单花花粉量低于L-型花,显示了两种花型的自我调控机制.(3)套袋实验表明,金荞麦自花自交不亲和,但具有型内和型间亲和性,L型和S-型花的P/O值分别为810±40.48和526.5±42.24,表明其繁育系统为兼性异交,需要传粉者,但L-型花更倾向异交.(4)金荞麦的主要访花昆虫为膜翅目(Hymenoptera)、双翅目(Diptera)、鳞翅目(Lepidoptera)、半翅目(Hemiptera)和蜻蜒目(Odonata) 19个科37种昆虫,其中,两种花型拥有12种共同的访花昆虫,L-型花访花昆虫14种,S-型花访花昆虫35种,表明S-型花对昆虫具有更强的吸引力.研究表明,金荞麦是典型的二型花柱植物,虽然具有严格的自交不亲和性,但显示一定的型内亲和性.     

灌木铁线莲繁育系统特征及其花下垂现象的适应性意义

该研究对兰州市北山地区自然居群下的灌木铁线莲(Clematis fruticosa Turcz.)的繁育系统特征进行了实验分析,并通过对其花朵进行人工上举处理,研究了花朝向改变(花朵上举)后访花昆虫、花粉数量和质量变化以及结籽率和种子特征的变化,以此反证花朵下垂的适应性意义。结果表明:(1)自然状态下,灌木铁线莲的P/O值为9579.5,属于专性异花授粉;套袋实验结果显示,灌木铁线莲自交亲和,兼具异交和自交的混合交配系统,但不存在无融合生殖现象。(2)灌木铁线莲的主要传粉者为东亚无垫蜂(Amegill aparhypate)和中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana);人工上举处理改变花朝向后,两种传粉昆虫的访花频率和单花停留时间与自然条件下没有发生变化,但因雨水冲刷造成其花粉数量显著下降,且阳光直射使花粉活力显著下降,说明花朝向改变会降低其雄性适合度。(3)花朝向改变后,灌木铁线莲结籽率显著下降,种子宿存花柱长度降低,但并没有影响种子大小和千粒重,说明花朝向改变降低了雌性适合度,并影响到灌木铁线莲种子传播。研究结果证实,灌木铁线莲花期花朵下垂现象对有效传粉昆虫影响不大,但可以显著提高植物雄性适合度和雌性适合度,并作为一种有效的适应策略保障了其繁殖成功。     

珍稀濒危植物细果秤锤树开花生物学特性和繁育系统

为了解珍稀濒危植物细果秤锤树（Sinojackia microcarpa）开花特征和有性繁殖,对其花部形态特征、开花动态、花粉胚珠比（P/O）、柱头可授性、花粉活力、套袋试验、访花昆虫及访花频率进行观测。结果表明：（1）细果秤锤树的杂交指数（OCI）为4,单花期5~7 d,种群花期可持续20 d左右。花粉与胚珠比为4 093.21±498.56。开花后第3天的花粉活力最高（76.21%）,而开花后第7天时花粉活力较低（18.37%）。细果秤锤树柱头最适可授期在开花后第2天。（2）套袋试验表明,细果秤锤树存在部分自交不亲和性,同时不存在无融合生殖,传粉昆虫是其完成生殖过程所必需的,且异株授粉能够提高其坐果率和结籽率。细果秤锤树的访花昆虫有3目5科7种,主要访花昆虫有黄胸木蜂（Xylocopa appendiculata）、熊蜂（Bombus sp.）、胡蜂（Vespa sp.）、中华蜜蜂（Apis cerana）、黑带食蚜蝇（Episyrphus balteatus）、其中熊蜂平均访花频率最高,达（8.67±0.21） 次·h^-1。对该物种开花生物学特征与繁育系统进行深入研究,有利于进一步探究其濒危机制,为后续珍稀濒危植物的研究提供理论依据和参考。     

缙云山特有植物缙云黄芩果实特征研究

应用显微成像系统和扫描电镜对缙云山特有植物缙云黄芩不同发育时期果实形态和表观超微特征进行了观察,与同组黄芩和粘毛黄芩果实表面特征进行比较,并对缙云黄芩种子发芽力情况进行了研究.结果表明:(1)缙云黄芩小坚果黑色,卵状椭圆形或圆肾形,长约3 mm,腹面中央具一果脐.(2)缙云黄芩果实大小与同组的黄芩和粘毛黄芩相近,表面均...     

Pollinators,floral morphology and scent chemistry in the southern African orchid genus Schizochilus

Floral evolution often involves suites of traits, including morphology, colour and scent, but these traits are seldom analysed together in comparative studies. We investigated the associations between floral traits and pollination systems in Schizochilus, a southern African orchid genus with small nectar-producing flowers that has not been studied previously with respect to pollination biology. Field observations indicated the presence of distinct pollination systems in the four species which occur in the Drakensberg, including pollination by muscid flies in Schizochilus angustifolius, tachinid flies in Schizochilus zeyheri, various small flies in Schizochilus bulbinella and bees and wasps in Schizochilus flexuosus. Pollination success and pollen transfer efficiency clearly differed among the four species but were not correlated with the quantity of nectar rewards. Multivariate analysis of floral morphology and floral scent chemistry based on GC-MS data revealed significant differences among species as well as populations within species. The floral scent of S. angustifolius was dominated by the benzenoid compounds benzaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde. Samples of one population of S. bulbinella were relatively similar to S. angustifolius but samples of another population were very distinct due to the occurrence of the nitrogen-containing compounds 3-methyl-butyl aldoxime (syn/anti) and the higher amounts of aliphatic esters, alcohols and acids. In contrast, the floral scent of S. flexuosus and S. zeyheri was characterized by high relative amounts of methyl benzoate. We conclude that Schizochilus has distinct, specialized pollination systems associated with subtle but significant variation in floral morphology and scent chemistry. We also caution that sampling of several populations may be required to characterize floral scent composition at the species-level in plants.     

Pollination systems, biogeography, and divergence times of three allopatric species of Schisandra in North America, China, and Japan

This study analyses the pollination systems and biogeography of three allopatdc species of Schisandra (Section Euschisandra) consisting of S.glabra (North America),S.bicolor (China),and S.repanda (Japan); the clade is delimited in a phylogenetic tree of Schisandraceae constructed with nuclear and plastid genes.The male and female flowers of these species have similar floral structures,but exhibit different pollination systems.At the base of the clade,S.glabra is pollinated by a wide variety of beetles and flies in a generalist pollination system that also includes floral heat and the use of male and female flowers as brood sites for insects.In Asia,however,S.bicolor and S.repanda are pollinated exclusively by one or two different species of gall midges (Resseliella spp.) in a specialist pollination system.In this system only female,pollen-eating gall midges pollinate the flowers and breed on nearby spiderwebs.The gall midge pollination system is specialized and derived from the generalist system in S.glabra,and basal in the clade.Pollen is the main floral resource,and we hypothesize it is exploited to enrich eggs,and as a result species of gall midges could increase reproductive fitness by feeding on a single dependable food source.Subsequently the life cycles of the plants and insects evolved into a tight association in old stable plant communities in the Sino-Japanese flora.Divergence times for the plant species are presented and correlated with past distributions and migration routes.     

STIGMATIC POLLEN LOADS IN POPULATIONS OF PONTEDERIA CORDATA FROM THE SOUTHERN U.S.

Stigmatic pollen loads were examined in four tristylous populations of Pontederia cordata from the southern U.S. to evaluate Darwin's hypothesis that floral trimorphism promotes legitimate pollination. In each population, morph frequency, pollen production, the composition of stigmatic pollen loads and seed production were estimated. Goodness-of-fit tests and a measure of the efficiency of legitimate pollination were employed to evaluate pollen load patterns. Results from the four populations demonstrate that the long-styled (L) morph usually experiences legitimate pollination, whereas the mid-styled (M) and short-styled (S) morphs often display random pollination. However, at Taylor Road (Louisiana) all three floral morphs exhibited statistically significant levels of legitimate pollination. The size of legitimate pollen loads suggests that in populations of P. cordata tristyly may have only a minor influence on the fecundity of morphs. Two hypotheses are proposed to explain the maintenance of floral trimorphism in contemporary populations of Pontederia spp. The first assumes the polymorphism is selectively neutral; the second suggests that it contributes towards the male component of fitness by increasing the distance, and hence the number of genets, that pollen can be transported to by pollinators. In clonal species, such as Pontederia cordata, where geitonogamous pollinations are promoted by large floral displays, floral mechanisms that increase pollen carryover may have selective value.     

The use of floral resources by Visitors on Sparattosperma leucanthum (Vell.) K. Schum. (Bignoniaceae)

Aiming to estimate the rate of exploitation of the floral resources of Sparattosperma leucanthum (Vell.) K. Schum. as well as the interaction with their floral visitors in the pollination, the number of visits by flower was sampled, according to the type of visitation, the collected resource and the visitor's behavior during the forage for flowers. The floral visitors were grouped into seven guilds, organized in decreasing order of benefit to the S. leucanthum flower's pollination: effective pollinator, occasional pollinator, endogamic pollinator, generalist visitor, thievery visitor, thievery-pillager ant and pillager visitor. The total of 48.2 +/- 8.84 visits were recorded by flower. Nearly 50% of the visits resulted in nectar thief or pillage, which posed some problems to the reproduction of S. leucanthum, such as the drop in the attractiveness to pollinators and the harm to the flower's reproductive tissues. Trigona spinipes (Fabr.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was considered the most harmful species owing to the high frequency of pillage and forage. Bombus sp1, however, was probably the species that pollinated S. lecanthum flowers the most, making use of the crossed pollination.     

Pollen limitation and variation in floral longevity in gynodioecious Potentilla tanacetifolia

Pollination limitation is common in flowering plants and is thought to be a factor driving the evolution of floral traits.The plasticity of floral longevity to pollination may be an adaptation of plants to pollen limitation.However,this adaptation is less critical in short-lived flowers.To evaluate pollen limitation and the plasticity of floral longevity to pollination in Potentilla tanacetifolia,a gynodioecious herb with short-lived flowers,we analyzed its breeding system,tested sex-differential pollen limitation,and compared variations in floral display size in natural populations in Duolun County,Inner Mongolia,China.Hand pollination experiments and pollinator exclusion treatments revealed that P tanacetifolia is self-compatible and non-autonomously apomictic and shows sex-differential pollen limitation.The plasticity of floral longevity to pollination was observed; the floral duration of female plants was prolonged by approximately 3-4 hours with pollination exclusion treatment.Moreover,the percentage of flowers displayed on female plants during pollination exclusion treatment was significantly higher than that during natural pollination.Under natural pollination conditions,the percentage of flowers displayed on female plants was significantly higher than on hermaphrodite plants.Furthermore,approximately 50％ of the pollen grains spread out of the anthers of hermaphrodite flowers within 2 h of anthesis; the number of pollen grains adhering to the stigmas of hermaphrodite flowers was significantly higher than that adhering to female flowers when flowers shed their petals.These results indicate that variation in floral longevity may be an adaptive strategy to pollination conditions for gynodioecious P tanacetifolia.     

青藏高原高寒草甸植物花寿命对传粉环境的响应

花寿命是指花保持开放且具有功能的时间长度。不同物种的花寿命具有显著的差异, 但一定程度上的可塑性反映了植物对传粉环境变化的适应性。本研究以青藏高原高寒草甸不同海拔(2,900 m和3,600 m)的11种开花植物为研究对象, 通过套袋、补充授粉以及自然授粉处理分别测量了植物的潜在花寿命、最短花寿命以及实际花寿命。分析了不同海拔植物花寿命的变异, 以及对套袋处理(潜在花寿命与实际花寿命之差)和补充授粉处理(实际花寿命与最短花寿命之差)的响应及其可塑性(潜在花寿命与最短花寿命之差)的变异。结果表明: 无论是高海拔还是低海拔, 套袋显著延长了花寿命, 而补充授粉显著缩短了花寿命, 即, 潜在花寿命>实际花寿命>最短花寿命。高海拔群落中植物的实际花寿命和潜在花寿命均显著延长, 而最短花寿命在海拔间差异不显著。相对于低海拔群落, 高海拔植物的花寿命对补充授粉处理更敏感, 花寿命的可塑性更大。本研究说明传粉者稀少的高寒环境中, 植物通过提高花寿命及其可塑性来增加授粉机会, 获得更高的适合度。     

同域分布的紫堇属三种植物的繁育系统和传粉差异

为研究近缘物种之间繁育系统分化对传粉环境的适应性意义,本文针对湖北地区的3种紫堇属植物（紫堇Corydalis edulis Maxim.、尖距紫堇C.shearer S.Moore.和小花黄堇C.racemosa（Thunb.） Pers.）进行了传粉生态学研究,对比分析了它们在花部特征、分布模式、花期、交配系统、传粉系统等方面的差异。3种紫堇属植物常见伴生现象,花期有一定重叠;花色、距长、花蜜量等方面均有显著差异;尖距紫堇交配系统为自交不亲和、依靠传粉者异花授粉;而紫堇和小花黄堇交配系统为自交亲和,兼有自交和异交的混合交配系统。3个物种均由蜂类传粉,且花部性器官与传粉者的接触部位一致,但访花频率差异较大。在混合群落中,传粉者访花具有较高的忠实性,花部特征差异可能是传粉者选择性访花的原因。对于紫堇属3个物种,花部特征和交配系统的分化有助于其避免传粉过程的相互干扰,交配系统与传粉环境具有一定相关性,混合交配系统可能有利于提高植物对不同生境和气候的适应性。     

Covariance and decoupling of floral and vegetative traits in nine Neotropical plants: a re-evaluation of Berg's correlation-pleiades concept

Nearly forty years ago R. L. Berg proposed that plants with specialized pollination ecology evolve genetic and developmental systems that decouple floral morphology from phenotypic variation in vegetative traits. These species evolve separate floral and vegetative trait clusters, or as she termed them, "correlation pleiades." The predictions of this hypothesis have been generally supported, but only a small sample of temperate-zone herb and grass species has been tested. To further evaluate this hypothesis, especially its applicability to plants of other growth forms, we examined the patterns of phenotypic variation and covariation of floral and vegetative traits in nine species of Neotropical plants. We recognized seven specific predictions of Berg's hypothesis. Our results supported some predictions but not others. Species with specialized pollination systems usually had floral traits decoupled (weak correlation; Canna and Eichornia) or buffered (relationship with shallow proportional slope; Calathea and Canna) from variation in vegetative traits. However, the same trend was also observed in three species with unspecialized pollination systems (Echinodorus, Muntingia, and Wedelia). One species with unspecialized pollination (Croton) and one wind-pollinated species (Cyperus) showed no decoupling or buffering, as predicted. While species with specialized pollination usually showed lower coefficients of variation for floral traits than vegetative traits (as predicted), the same was also true of species with unspecialized or wind pollination (unlike our prediction). Species with specialized pollination showed less variation in floral traits than did species with unspecialized or wind pollination, as predicted. However, the same was true of the corresponding vegetative traits, which was unexpected. Also in contrast to our prediction, plants with specialized pollination systems did not exhibit tighter phenotypic integration of floral characters than did species with generalized pollination systems. We conclude that the patterns of morphological integration among floral traits and between floral and vegetative traits tend to be species specific, not easily predicted from pollination ecology, and generally more complicated than R. L. Berg envisaged.     

The role of pollinators in floral diversification in a clade of generalist flowers

Pollinator‐mediated evolutionary divergence has seldom been explored in generalist clades because it is assumed that pollinators in those clades exert weak and conflicting selection. We investigate whether pollinators shape floral diversification in a pollination generalist plant genus, Erysimum. Species from this genus have flowers that appeal to broad assemblages of pollinators. Nevertheless, we recently reported that it is possible to sort plant species into pollination niches varying in the quantitative composition of pollinators. We test here whether floral characters of Erysimum have evolved as a consequence of shifts among pollination niches. For this, we quantified the evolutionary lability of the floral traits and their phylogenetic association with pollination niches. As with pollination niches, Erysimum floral traits show weak phylogenetic signal. Moreover, floral shape and color are phylogenetically associated with pollination niche. In particular, plants belonging to a pollination niche dominated by long‐tongued large bees have lilac corollas with parallel petals. Further analyses suggest, however, that changes in color preceded changes in pollination niche. Pollinators seem to have driven the evolution of corolla shape, whereas the association between pollination niche and corolla color has probably arisen by lilac‐flowered Erysimum moving toward certain pollination niches for other adaptive reasons.