Modularity and intra-floral integration in metameric organisms: plants are more than the sum of their parts.

ABSTRACT: Within-individual variation in virtually every conceivable morphological and functional feature of reiterated structures is a pervasive feature of plant phenotypes. In particular, architectural effects, regular, repeatable patterns of intra-individual variation in form and function that are associated with position are nearly ubiquitous. Yet, flowers also are predicted to be highly integrated. For animal-pollinated plants, the coordination of multiple organs within each flower is required to achieve the complex functions of pollinator attraction and orientation, pollen donation and pollen receipt. To the extent that pollinators may select for multiple independent functions, phenotypic integration within flowers may also be modular. That is, subsets of floral structures may be integrated bu

SUBMITTER: Diggle PK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4084538 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature