Evolution, development, and genetics of floral display—form, size, and arrangement

Zhang, Wenheng; Xiang, Qiu-Yun Jenny; Wen, Jun

doi:10.1111/jse.12274

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Floral display in terms of flower size and number has influences on pollinator visitation rate and seed production (Bell, 1985 ; Sandring & Ågren, 2009 ; Wu et al., 2023 ). Therefore, floral display is an important reproductive trait related to fitness (Sargent et al., 2007 ), and is often used to study plant evolution and adaptation mechanisms (Sandring & Ågren, 2009 ; Zhang et al., 2017 ). Plants have evolved diverse flower displays to adapt to environmental changes and extreme environments (such as high‐altitude environments) (Körner, 2003 ; Kuppler & Kotowska, 2021 ; Zhang et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of elevational gradient on flower size and number of Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri

Wang,

Yang

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Plants can adapt to environmental changes by adjusting their functional traits and biomass allocation. The size and number of flowers are functional traits related to plant reproduction. Life history theory predicts that there is a trade‐off between flower size and number, and the trade‐off can potentially explain the adaptability of plants. Elevation gradients in mountains provide a unique opportunity to test how plants will respond to climate change. In this study, we tried to better explain the adaptability of the alpine plant Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri in response to climate change. We measured the flower size and number, individual size, and reproductive allocation of G. lawrencei var. farreri during the flowering period along an elevation gradient from 3200 to 4000 m, and explored their relationships using linear mixed‐effect models and the structural equation model. We found that with elevation increasing, individual size and flower number decreased and flower size increased, while reproductive allocation remained unchanged. Individual size positively affected flower number, but was not related to flower size; reproductive allocation positively affected flower size, but was not related to flower number; there is a clear trade‐off between flower size and number. We also found that elevation decreased flower number indirectly via directly reducing individual size. In sum, this study suggests that G. lawrencei var. farreri can adapt to alpine environments by the synergies or trade‐offs among individual size, reproductive allocation, flower size, and flower number. This study increases our understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of alpine plants to climate change in alpine environments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of elevational gradient on flower size and number of Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri

Wang,

Yang

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Floral display is essential for the success of angiosperm reproduction. Alteration in floral display strategies regarding variation in form, size and arrangement can result in evolutionary innovation leading to new ecological adaptations and speciation (Zhang et al 2017). Data on morphological characteristics is fundamental for many aspects of research, such as taxonomic (Xu et al 2019), ecological (Kuriya et al 2015), conservation and evolutionary biological (Maad et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuous petal variation in Epimedium tianmenshanense (Berberidaceae), a taxon endemic to western Hunan, China

Huang

Yong

et al. 2020

Nordic Journal of Botany

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In the protologue, Epimedium tianmenshanense (Berberidaceae), a species endemic to western Hunan, China, was described as ‘flower small, 0.2–0.4 cm diam., inner sepals white, petals as long as inner sepals or a little shorter than the latter, spur very short, ca 5.0 mm’. However, both morphological characteristics and molecular evidence suggest that E. tianmenshanense is closely related to E. baojingense, a taxon with a long spur, thus suggesting that the size of the floral parts is not as reliable as previously believed. When investigating the variability of E. tianmenshanense in more detail, in the field as well as in cultivation, we found that the petals were are highly variable in morphology (both shape and size), being cucullate, subulate, short to long spurred, and with various transitions. The flowers size varied from small to large accordingly. The flowers with cucullate and subulate petals, which were a little shorter than the inner sepals or almost as long as the latter, were small (about 0.8 cm in diameter). The flowers with long spurs, which were much longer than the inner sepals, were also large (about 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter). Finally, the flowers with short spurs, which were a little longer than the inner sepals, were medium‐sized (about 1.0–1.2 cm in diameter). In addition, the color of inner sepals was revised from ‘white, occasionally light mulberry‐purple’ to yellowish green or yellowish white. Epimedium tianmenshanense is a perfect example of natural petal evolution, which could be used for further taxonomic and evolutionary studies. The reason for the variation and the taxonomic treatment of the species still need further study.

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Evolution, development, and genetics of floral display—form, size, and arrangement

Cited by 2 publications

References 11 publications

Influences of elevational gradient on flower size and number of Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri

Influences of elevational gradient on flower size and number of Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri

Continuous petal variation in Epimedium tianmenshanense (Berberidaceae), a taxon endemic to western Hunan, China

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