Deceptive Ceropegia sandersonii uses an arabinogalactan for trapping its fly pollinators.

ABSTRACT: Many plant species have evolved surfaces that reduce insect attachment. Among such plants are deceptive trap flowers of Ceropegia. Their gliding zones consist of convex epidermal cells, each with a bristle-like central protuberance and a single small liquid droplet on its tip. So far, the molecular and physical mechanisms controlling the function of these droplets are unknown. We analyzed the droplets of Ceropegia sandersonii flowers by microscopic approaches, studied how they behave when getting in contact with the feet of fly pollinators, and analyzed their chemical composition. The droplets contaminate the insect feet, on which they solidify. As its main component, a negatively charged polysaccharide containing a β1,3-galactan backbone and Rha-α1,4-GlcA-β1,6-[Araf-α1,3-]Gal-β1,6 side ch

SUBMITTER: Feichtlbauer P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12095969 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature