Background The evolutionary success of flowering plants is associated with the vast
diversity of their reproductive structures. Despite recent progress in understanding …

Historically, little attention has been paid to the resemblance between seed silhouettes to
geometric figures. Cardioid and derivatives, ellipses, heart curves, lemniscates, lenses …

Actinomorphic flowers usually orient vertically (relative to the horizon) and possess
symmetric nectar guides, while zygomorphic flowers often face horizontally and have …

Abstract Changes in floral traits across evolutionary time are expected in response to
selective pressures imposed by pollinators. Stamen dimetrism (here defined as size …

Southwest China is characterized by high plateaus, large mountain systems, and deeply
incised dry valleys formed by major rivers and their tributaries. Despite the considerable …

Divergent patterns of phenotypic selection on floral traits can arise in response to
interactions with functionally distinct pollinators. However, there are a limited number of …

Pollinators are important drivers of floral trait evolution, yet plant populations are not always
perfectly adapted to their pollinators. Such apparent maladaptation may result from …

Abstract Background and Aims Despite accelerating interest in island evolution, the general
evolutionary trajectories of island flowers remain poorly understood. In particular the island …

Placentation refers to the mode of ovule attachment on the wall of the ovary. In multiovulate
ovaries, placentation influences interactions among develo** seeds with varying degrees …

Water availability is the main limiting factor to plants growth in tropical dry forests, influencing
vegetation ecophysiological responses throughout ecological succession. In this study, we …