| The number of flowers that animal-pollinated plants display simultaneously influences both their attractiveness to pollinators and the incidence of self-pollination and associated mating costs. Display size is not controlled directly, but emerges as a consequence of the rate at which flowers open (anthesis rate) and their longevity, prompting an inflorescence perspective on these components. A survey of individual flowers on inflorescences of 11 species from bud to senescence found that anthesis rate and floral longevity change systematically with inflorescence characteristics, such as age and flower number, and less consistently with temperature. Consequently, an inflorescence's display size changes continuously. Recognition that floral display arises from dynamic components exposes ecological and evolutionary interpretations of adaptive display strategies. Two general strategies are evident: species with few, long-lived flowers have 'full' displays, whereby all flowers open before any senesce; whereas species with many, short-lived flowers that open quickly have 'partial' displays. |
