Although not 'a professed botanist', Charles Darwin made seminal contributions to
understanding of floral and inflorescence function while seeking evidence of adaptation by …

Heterostylous genetic polymorphisms provide paradigmatic systems for investigating
adaptation and natural selection. Populations are usually comprised of two (distyly) or three …

Flowering plants possess an unrivaled diversity of mechanisms for achieving sexual and
asexual reproduction, often simultaneously. The commonest type of asexual reproduction is …

The flora of southern Africa has exceptional species richness and endemism, making it an
ideal system for studying the patterns and processes of evolutionary diversification. Using a …

Flowering plants display spectacular floral diversity and a bewildering array of reproductive
adaptations that promote mating, particularly outbreeding. A striking feature of this diversity …

Classic questions about trait evolution—including the directionality of character change and
its interactions with lineage diversification—intersect in the study of plant breeding systems …

Pollen limitation (PL) of seed production creates unique conditions for reproductive
adaptation by angiosperms, in part because, unlike under ovule or resource limitation, floral …

Charles Darwin studied floral biology for over 40 years and wrote three major books on plant
reproduction. These works have provided the conceptual foundation for understanding floral …

The transition from outcrossing to selfing is predicted to reduce the genome-wide efficacy of
selection because of the lower effective population size (N e) that accompanies this change …

The evolution of self-fertilization from outcrossing has occurred on numerous occasions in
flowering plants. This shift in mating system profoundly influences the morphology, ecology …