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Parallelism in Flower Evolution and Development

Wessinger, Carolyn A.
Hileman, Lena C.
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Abstract
Flower evolution is characterized by widespread repetition, with adaptations to pollinator environment evolving in parallel. Recent studies have expanded our understanding of the developmental basis of adaptive floral novelties—petal fusion, bilateral symmetry, heterostyly, and floral dimensions. In this article, we describe patterns of trait evolution and review developmental genetic mechanisms underlying floral novelties. We discuss the diversity of mechanisms for parallel adaptation, the evidence for constraints on these mechanisms, and how constraints help explain observed macroevolutionary patterns. We describe parallel evolution resulting from similarities at multiple hierarchical levels—genetic, developmental, morphological, functional—which indicate general principles in floral evolution, including the central role of hormone signaling. An emerging pattern is mutational bias that may contribute to rapid patterns of parallel evolution, especially if the derived trait can result from simple degenerative mutations. We argue that such mutational bias may be less likely to govern the evolution of novelties patterned by complex developmental pathways.
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Posted with permission from the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, v.51. Copyright by Annual Reviews, http://www.annualreviews.org
Date
2020-08-17
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Annual Reviews
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Keywords
Petal fusion, Flower symmetry, Nectar spur, Heterostyly, Flower development, Evolution
Citation
Wessinger, C.A., Hileman, L.C. 2020. Parallelism in Flower Evolution and Development in Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 51:1. doi; 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-011720-124511
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