biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Chauta ANew Phytologist FoundationCentro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios Básicos y AplicadosStickiness of vegetative tissues has evolved multiple times in different plant families but is rare and understudied in flowers. While stickiness in general is thought to function primarily as a defense against herbivores, it may compromise mutualistic interactions (such as those with pollinators) in reproductive tissues. Here, we test the hypothesis that stickiness on flower petals of the High-Andean plant, Bejaria resinosa (Ericaceae), functions as a defense against florivores. We address ecological consequences and discuss potential trade-offs associated with a repellant trait expressed in flowers that mediate mutualistic interactions. In surveys and manipulative experiments, we assess florivory and resulting fitness effects on plants with sticky and non-sticky flowers in different natiScientific reports19848https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9674602biostudies-literatureDefensive functions and potential ecological conflicts of floral stickiness.PMC9674602Chauta AMejia JStashenko EEKumar AKessler AfalseDefensive functions and potential ecological conflicts of floral stickiness.Stickiness of vegetative tissues has evolved multiple times in different plant families but is rare and understudied in flowers. While stickiness in general is thought to function primarily as a defense against herbivores, it may compromise mutualistic interactions (such as those with pollinators) in reproductive tissues. Here, we test the hypothesis that stickiness on flower petals of the High-Andean plant, Bejaria resinosa (Ericaceae), functions as a defense against florivores. We address ecological consequences and discuss potential trade-offs associated with a repellant trait expressed in flowers that mediate mutualistic interactions. In surveys and manipulative experiments, we assess florivory and resulting fitness effects on plants with sticky and non-sticky flowers in different nati2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Nov2025-04-19T16:12:05.736Z2025-04-19T16:12:05.736ZS-EPMC96746023640094110.1038/s41598-022-23261-2