Herbivores select on floral architecture in a South African bird-pollinated plant

[PhysOrg]

Floral displays, such as the color, shape, size, and arrangement of flowers, are typically thought to have evolved primarily in response to selection by pollinatorsfor animal-pollinated species, being able to attract animal vectors is vital to an individual plant's reproductive success. But can herbivores also exert similarly strong selective forces on floral characters? New research on two sister species in South Africa suggests that this may indeed be the case for inflorescence architecture in the rat's tail plant, Babiana ringens. By modifying the primary location of its floral display in response to pressure from mammalian herbivores, B. ringens may have not only reduced floral herbivory, but may also have enhanced pollination by providing a specialized perch for its principal pollinator.

 

Read the full article on PhysOrg