Botanik-Seminar (online): Morphological flower adaptation to obligate moth pollination mutualism in Leafflower plants (Phyllanthaceae)

Vortrag von Prof. Dr. Peter C. van Welzen, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Research group Tropical Botany, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Beginn: 16.15 Uhr

Online Zoom meeting, ID: 93185424499
Zugangscode: Botany

Species are fundamental biological units used in ecological and evolutionary analyses. Because protistan diversity is so large and their morphological characters are so small, molecular methodologies are the only way that we can attempt Many leafflower plants (Phyllanthaceae tribe Phyllantheae) are pollinated by leafflower moths (genus Epicephala, Gracillariidae). This is a similar system as with Figs and Yuccas. The flowers get pollinated and the moths receive shelter and can consume part of the developing seeds. Female moths actively visit staminate (male) flowers to collect pollen and then move to the pistillate (female) flowers to pollinate them, after which they deposit an egg either between the sepals and ovary or in the ovary. This obligate pollination mechanism originated five times in the Phyllantheae and the flowers seem to adapt to the pollination to increase the efficiency. Examples will be given which show that the staminate flowers become more erect and rigid and the stamens become generally united, while in the pistillate flowers the stigma surface reduces, either by a reduced length of the stigmas or by folding the stigmas together into a pyramidal cone with the receptional part on the inside.

Host: Dr. Hans-Joachim Esser

Ein gemeinsames Seminar des Lehrstuhls für Systematik, Biodiversität & Evolution der Pflanzen der LMU München, der Botanischen Staatssammlung München und des Botanischen Gartens München-Nymphenburg.