Exploring the evolutionary origin of floral organs of Erycina pusilla, an emerging orchid model system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Thousands of flowering plant species attract pollinators without offering rewards, but the evolution of this deceit is poorly understood. Rewardless flowers of the orchid Erycina pusilla have an enlarged median sepal and incised median petal ('lip') to attract oil-collecting bees. These bees also forage on similar looking but rewarding Malpighiaceae flowers that have five unequally sized petals and gland-carrying sepals. The lip of E. pusilla has a 'callus' that, together with winged 'stelidia', mimics these glands. Different hypotheses exist about the evolutionary origin of the median sepal, callus and stelidia of orchid flowers.

Results

The evolutionary origin of these organs was investigated using a combination of morphological, molecular and phylogenetic techn

SUBMITTER: Dirks-Mulder A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5364718 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature