[Natural history of flowers and gravity].
Many flowers have coevolved with their pollinator animals. Gravity has been one of selection pressure for the evolution of flowers. Gravity rules morphology and other features of flowers in many aspects. Pair matching between the flower and its specific pollinator is one of factors that determine the fitness of both sides. Evolution of flower morphology and its molecular basis are reviewed briefly. Anemophilous flowers are also under the influence of gravity. Shape and other features of entomophilous flowers have been highly diversed. Gravitropic response and its mechanism are summarized. Recent findings on gravitropism and phototropism of pistils and stamens are presented in this article.
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, Sagamihara, Japan. yamashita@surc.isas.jaxa.jp
Masamichi
M
Yamashita
Kaori
K
Tomita-Yokotani
Teruko
T
Nakamura
D005075:Biological Evolution; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development*; D006112:Gravitation; D018522:Gravitropism / Q000502:physiology*; D018524:Phototropism; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D011058:Pollen