title: Are long corolla tubes in Pedicularis driven by pollinator selection?
abstract: The evolution of long corolla tubes has been hypothesized to be driven by long-tongued pollinators. Corolla tubes in Pedicularis species can be longer than 10 cm which may function as flower stalks to increase visual attractiveness to pollinators because these species provide no nectar and are pollinated by bumblebees. The corolla tube length was manipulated (shorter or longer) in two Pedicularis species in field to examine whether longer tubes are more attractive to pollinators and produce more seeds than short tubes. Our results did not support the pollinator attraction hypothesis, leaving the evolution of long tubes in Pedicularis remains mysterious.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors.forename: Shuang-Quan
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Guo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D035264:Flowers / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D032262:Pedicularis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D054817:Pollination / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Bumblebees; Pedicularis; corolla tube length; floral evolution; long-tongued