Morphology and development of floral features recognised by pollinators |
| |
Authors: | Heather M Whitney Beverley J Glover |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK |
| |
Abstract: | The diversity of angiosperm flowers is astounding. The conventional explanation for this diversity is that it represents the
great variety of ways in which flowers have adapted to attract an even greater diversity of animal pollinators. Many animal
behaviourists are therefore interested in how changes in floral morphology affect pollinator behaviour. The establishment
of well-characterised model plant species has greatly furthered our understanding of how floral morphology is generated and
varied. Many of these model species are pollinated by animals and attract their pollinators through the production of colour,
shape, scent, size and rewards. An understanding of the developmental plasticity of floral morphology, and the constraints
upon it, should inform research into animal responses to flowers. The use of genetically characterised model species, and
the isogenic and near-isogenic lines available in them, will allow dissection of the different components of floral attraction
and reward in natural systems.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Handling editor: Heikki Hokkanen |
| |
Keywords: | Angiosperm Floral reward Flower colour Flower development Flower scent Flower shape Flower size Flower symmetry Pollination Pollinator |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|