Abstract Detail

Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)

Landis, Jacob [1], Soltis, Douglas [2], Soltis, Pamela [3].

All in the family: Pollination syndromes and floral traits in the flowering plant family Polemoniaceae.

Pollinator-mediated selection is a major driver of adaptation in flowering plants and is becoming increasingly important for plant survival with rising threats of pollinator loss due to anthropogenic factors. Most modifications resulting from pollinator selection involve changes in floral morphology, primarily changes in the corolla. Many floral traits are associated with specific pollinators, creating unique pollinator syndromes (e.g. long, red corollas for hummingbirds vs. short, blue corollas for bees). To better understand relationships between plants and their pollinators, we are investigating Polemoniaceae, a family of annual and perennial flowering plants native to North and South America, with its center of diversity in western North America. The family consists of 26 genera and nearly 400 species. With its diversity in floral color, size,and morphology, Polemoniaceae have been used extensively for studies of pollination strategies, starting with observations of pollinators in the field,followed by many studies on the evolution of floral traits under pollinator selection. We generated the most inclusive phylogeny to date for Polemoniaceae (340species) from previously published sequences, as well as novel sequences for 50taxa. Many floral characters important in pollinator attraction, such as flower color, corolla length/width,and stamen exsertion, have been mapped onto the phylogeny. These analyses indicate multiple transitions from bee-pollinated flowers to hummingbird-pollinated flowers between sister species in several genera, as well as multiple shifts to other pollinators in other closely related species. Multiple transitions from outcrossing to selfing have also taken place.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University Of Florida, Dept Of Biology, Florida Museum Of Natural History - Dickinson Hall, Museum Road And Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
2 - University Of Florida, Department Of Botany, 220 BARTRAM HALL, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
3 - University Of Florida, Florida Museum Of Natural History, PO BOX 117800, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA, 352/273-1964

Keywords:
Pollinator syndromes
Polemoniaceae
character mapping
floral morphology.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 22
Location: Delaware C/Hyatt
Date: Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
Time: 9:30 AM
Number: 22007
Abstract ID:491