Flowers are leakier than leaves but cheaper to build

Limited effects of xylem anatomy on embolism resistance in cycad leaves

Drought-induced xylem embolism is a primary cause of plant mortality. Although c. 70% of cycads are threatened by extinction and extant cycads diversified during a period of increasing aridification, the vulnerability of cycads to embolism spread has been overlooked. We quantified the vulnerability to drought-induced embolism, pressure-volume curves, in situ water potentials, and a suite of xylem anatomical traits of leaf pinnae and rachises for 20 cycad species. We tested whether anatomical traits were linked to hydraulic safety in cycads. Compared with other major vascular plant clades, cycads exhibited similar embolism resistance to angiosperms and pteridophytes but were more vulnerable to embolism than noncycad gymnosperms. All 20 cycads had both tracheids and vessels, the proportions of which were unrelated to embolism resistance. Only vessel pit membrane fraction was positively correlated to embolism resistance, contrary to angiosperms. Water potential at turgor loss was significantly correlated to embolism resistance among cycads. Our results show that cycads exhibit low resistance to xylem embolism and that xylem anatomical traits - particularly vessels - may influence embolism resistance together with tracheids. This study highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of drought resistance in evolutionarily unique and threatened lineages like the cycads.

Floral thermal biology in relation to pollen thermal performance in an early spring flowering plant

The floral microenvironment impacts gametophyte viability and plant-pollinator interactions. Plants employ mechanisms to modify floral temperature, including thermogenesis, absorption of solar radiation, and evaporative cooling. Whether floral thermoregulation impacts reproductive fitness, and how floral morphological variation mediates thermoregulatory capacity are poorly understood. We measured temperature of the floral microenvironment in the field and tested for thermogenesis in the lab in early spring flowering Hexastylis arifolia (Aristolochiaceae). We evaluated whether thermoregulatory capacity was associated with floral morphological variation. Finally, we experimentally determined the thermal optimum and tolerance of pollen to assess whether thermoregulation may ameliorate thermal stress to pollen. Pollen germination was optimal near 21 °C, with a 50% tolerance breadth of ~18 °C. In laboratory conditions, flowers exhibited thermogenesis of 1.5-4.8 °C for short intervals within a conserved timeframe (08:00-09:00 h). In the field, temperature inside the floral tube often deviated from ambient - floral interiors were up to 4 °C above ambient when it was cold, but some fell nearly 10 °C below ambient during peak heat. Flowers with smaller openings were cooler and more thermally stable than those with larger openings during peak heat. Thermoregulation maintained a floral microenvironment within the thermal tolerance breadth of pollen. Results suggest that H. arifolia flowers have a stronger capacity to cool than to warm, and that narrower floral openings create a distinct floral microenvironment, enhancing floral cooling effects. While deviation of floral temperature from ambient conditions maintains a suitable environment for pollen and suggests an adaptive role of thermoregulation, we discuss adaptive and nonadaptive mechanisms underlying floral warming and cooling.

Monocots and eudicots have more conservative flower water use strategies than basal angiosperms

Water balance is crucial for the growth and flowering of plants. However, the mechanisms by which flowers maintain water balance are poorly understood across different angiosperm branches. Here, we investigated 29 floral hydraulic and economic traits in 24 species from ANA grade, magnoliids, monocots, and eudicots. Our main objective was to compare differences in flower water use strategies between basal angiosperms (ANA grade and magnoliids) and derived group (monocots and eudicots). We found that basal angiosperms had richer petal stomatal density, higher pedicel hydraulic diameter, and flower mass per area, but lower pedicel vessel wall reinforcement and epidermal cell thickness compared to monocots and eudicots. We also observed significant trade-offs and coordination among different floral traits. Floral traits associated with reproduction, such as floral longevity and size, were strongly linked with physiological and anatomical traits. Our results systematically reveal the variation in flower economic and hydraulic traits from different angiosperm branches, deepening understanding of flower water use strategies among these plant taxa. We conclude that basal angiosperms maintain water balance with high water supply, whereas monocots and eudicots maintain a more conservative water balance.

Zygomorphic flowers last longer: the evolution of floral symmetry and floral longevity

Floral longevity, the length of time a flower remains open and functional, is a phylogenetically conserved trait that balances floral costs against the rate at which flowers are pollinated. Floral symmetry has long been considered a key trait in floral evolution. Although zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric) flowers typically receive fewer floral visitors than actinomorphic (radially symmetric) flowers, it is yet to be determined whether this could be associated with longer floral longevity. Using newly collected field data combined with data from the literature on 1452 species in 168 families, we assess whether floral longevity covaries with floral symmetry in a phylogenetic framework. We find that zygomorphic flowers last on average 1.1 days longer than actinomorphic flowers, a 26.5% increase in longevity, with considerable variation across both groups. Our results provide a basis to discuss the ecological and evolutionary costs of zygomorphy for plants. Despite these costs, zygomorphy has evolved numerous times throughout angiosperm history, and we discuss which rewards may outweigh the costs of slower pollination in zygomorphic flowers.

The cuticular wax composition and crystal coverage of leaves and petals differ in a consistent manner between plant species

Both leaves and petals are covered in a cuticle, which itself contains and is covered by cuticular waxes. The waxes perform various roles in plants' lives, and the cuticular composition of leaves has received much attention. To date, the cuticular composition of petals has been largely ignored. Being the outermost boundary between the plant and the environment, the cuticle is the first point of contact between a flower and a pollinator, yet we know little about how plant-pollinator interactions shape its chemical composition. Here, we investigate the general structure and composition of floral cuticular waxes by analysing the cuticular composition of leaves and petals of 49 plant species, representing 19 orders and 27 families. We show that the flowers of plants from across the phylogenetic range are nearly devoid of wax crystals and that the total wax load of leaves in 90% of the species is higher than that of petals. The proportion of alkanes is higher, and the chain lengths of the aliphatic compounds are shorter in petals than in leaves. We argue these differences are a result of adaptation to the different roles leaves and petals play in plant biology.

Gradients in embolism resistance within stems driven by secondary growth in herbs

The stems of some herbaceous species can undergo basal secondary growth, leading to a continuum in the degree of woodiness along the stem. Whether the formation of secondary growth in the stem base results in differences in embolism resistance between the base and the upper portions of stems is unknown. We assessed the embolism resistance of leaves and the basal and upper portions of stems simultaneously within the same individuals of two divergent herbaceous species that undergo secondary growth in the mature stem bases. The species were Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) and Senecio minimus (fireweed). Basal stem in mature plants of both species displayed advanced secondary growth and greater resistance to embolism than the upper stem. This also resulted in significant vulnerability segmentation between the basal stem and the leaves in both species. Greater embolism resistance in the woodier stem base was found alongside decreases in the pith-to-xylem ratio, increases in the proportion of secondary xylem, and increases in lignin content. We show that there can be considerable variation in embolism resistance across the stem in herbs and that this variation is linked to the degree of secondary growth present. A gradient in embolism resistance across the stem in herbaceous plants could be an adaptation to ensure reproduction or basal resprouting during episodes of drought late in the lifecycle.

Effects of UV-B radiation on pollen germination and tube growth: A global meta-analysis

Despite widespread recognition of pollen's potential sensitivity to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (280-315 nm), there remains ongoing debate surrounding the extent and mechanisms of this effect. In this study, using published data on pollen germination and tube growth including 377 pair-wise comparisons from 77 species in 30 families, we present the first global quantification of the effects of UV-B radiation on pollen germination and tube growth, along with its underlying mechanisms. Our results showed a substantial reduction in both pollen germination and tube growth in response to UV-B radiation, affecting 90.9 % and 84.2 % of species, respectively. Notably, these reductions exhibited phylogenetic constraints, highlighting the role of evolutionary history in shaping the sensitivity of pollen germination and tube growth to UV-B radiation. A negative correlation between elevation and the sensitivity of pollen tube growth was detected, suggesting that pollens from plants at higher elevations exhibit greater resistance to UV-B radiation. Our investigation also revealed that the effects of UV-B radiation on pollen germination and tube growth were influenced by a range of abiotic and biotic factors. Nevertheless, the intensity and duration of UV-B radiation exposure exhibited the highest explanatory power for the effects on both pollen germination and tube growth. This suggests that the responses of pollens to UV-B radiation are profoundly influenced by its dose, a critical consideration within the context of global change. In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into the diverse responses of pollen germination and tube growth to UV-B radiation, highlighting the environment and species-dependent nature of pollen's susceptibility to UV-B radiation, with substantial implications for our understanding of the ecological and agricultural consequences of ongoing changes in UV-B radiation.