Stabilizing Selection and the Structural Variability of Flowers within Species

Zoophilous flowers often appear to be precisely formed for pollentransfer and exhibit relatively little variability in structurewithin species. Functional optimization by the seemingly exactingrequirements of pollen transfer may account for these observations.I used the results of a literature survey to examine the levelsof intraspecific variation in flowers across a wide range oftaxa. The least variable attributes were those potentially affectingthe mechanical fit between flower and pollinator, which arepotentially constrained by selection for pollination performance.I discuss six mechanisms by which plant-pollinator interactionscould generate stabilizing selection on flowers. In addition,I consider the stabilizing roles of limiting resources and alsotwo functionally-neutral mechanisms. Further work is requiredto identify the actual mechanisms by which selection stabilizesthe evolution of flowers.Copyright 1998 Annals of Botany Company stabilizing selection, flowers, pollination, variation