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

ABSTRACT: 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-l

SUBMITTER: Simon-Porcar V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10858259 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature