Petal Spur Evolution and Development in Aquilegia

Friday, October 28, 2011
Hall 1-2 (San Jose Convention Center)
Rhea Richardson , Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Joshua Puzey , Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Elena Kramer, PhD , Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
The evolutionary success and radiation of angiosperms is due in part to diversity in petal morphology and the subsequent differential attractiveness of flowers to animal pollinators. Aquilegia has evolved novel petal organs, nectar spurs, which vary widely in length, shape and color.  Aquilegia’s nectar spurs facilitate specific plant-pollinator interactions and the subsequent radiation of the genus. Despite their critical role in the ecology and diversification of Aquilegia, little is understood about spur morphosis and its evolution.  We previously found that spur length variation in the genus is controlled by variations in cell shape, not size or number.   Here we investigate the genetic and hormonal controls regulating cell shape in Aquilegia.  The results could have implications in cell shape regulation in other taxa which exhibit evolutionary significant morphological diversification.