Dichogamy correlates with outcrossing rate and defines the selfing syndrome in the mixed-mating genus Collinsia

Parallel evolution of morphological and genomic selfing syndromes accompany the breakdown of heterostyly

Evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing in flowering plants have convergent morphological and genomic signatures and can involve parallel evolution within related lineages. Adaptive evolution of morphological traits is often assumed to evolve faster than nonadaptive features of the genomic selfing syndrome. We investigated phenotypic and genomic changes associated with transitions from distyly to homostyly in the Primula oreodoxa complex. We determined whether the transition to selfing occurred more than once and investigated stages in the evolution of morphological and genomic selfing syndromes using 22 floral traits and both nuclear and plastid genomic data from 25 populations. Two independent transitions were detected representing an earlier and a more recently derived selfing lineage. The older lineage exhibited classic features of the morphological and genomic selfing syndrome. Although features of both selfing syndromes were less developed in the younger selfing lineage, they exhibited parallel development with the older selfing lineage. This finding contrasts with the prediction that some genomic changes should lag behind adaptive changes to morphological traits. Our findings highlight the value of comparative studies on the timing and extent of transitions from outcrossing to selfing between related lineages for investigating the tempo of morphological and molecular evolution.

Neutral and adaptive genetic diversity in plants: An overview

Genetic diversity is a prerequisite for evolutionary change in all kinds of organisms. It is generally acknowledged that populations lacking genetic variation are unable to evolve in response to new environmental conditions (e.g., climate change) and thus may face an increased risk of extinction. Although the importance of incorporating genetic diversity into the design of conservation measures is now well understood, less attention has been paid to the distinction between neutral (NGV) and adaptive (AGV) genetic variation. In this review, we first focus on the utility of NGV by examining the ways to quantify it, reviewing applications of NGV to infer ecological and evolutionary processes, and by exploring its utility in designing conservation measures for plant populations and species. Against this background, we then summarize the ways to identify and estimate AGV and discuss its potential use in plant conservation. After comparing NGV and AGV and considering their pros and cons in a conservation context, we conclude that there is an urgent need for a better understanding of AGV and its role in climate change adaptation. To date, however, there are only a few AGV studies on non-model plant species aimed at deciphering the genetic and genomic basis of complex trait variation. Therefore, conservation researchers and practitioners should keep utilizing NGV to develop relevant strategies for rare and endangered plant species until more estimates of AGV are available.

Rapid evolution of selfing syndrome traits in Viola arvensis revealed by resurrection ecology

PREMISE

As part of global change, climate warming and pollinator decline are expected to affect plant phenology and plant-pollinator interactions. This paper aims at characterizing rapid evolution of life history traits and floral traits over two decades in the wild pansy (Viola arvensis), a common weed in agrosystems.

METHODS

We used a resurrection ecology approach with genotypes sampled in 1991 and 2012 from a population in Burgundy (France). The species has a mixed mating system (hereafter: mixed selfer) and presents a floral polymorphism. To correct for maternal effects, we measured plant traits in the second generation in a common garden (after a refreshing generation) to characterize plant evolution during the two decades. In addition, historical population selfing rates in 1991 and 2012 were inferred from microsatellites markers through heterozygote deficiency and identity disequilibrium.

RESULTS

Phenotypic data revealed a significant advance in flowering date, reduced flower sizes and a higher propensity of plants to set seed by autonomous selfing. Moreover, we detected a change in color morph frequency with an increase of the pale morph frequency. In accordance with phenotypic data, the neutral genetic data revealed an increase in historical selfing rates from 0.68 in 1991 to 0.86 in 2012.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, such data suggest that the wild pansy, a mixed selfer, is evolving a selfing syndrome that may be the consequence of reduced pollinator activity in agrosystems.

Phenotypic Selection in Halenia elliptica D. Don (Gentianaceae), an Alpine Biennial with Mixed Mating System

The transition from outcrossing to selfing is a common evolutionary trend in flowering plants, and floral traits change significantly with the evolution of selfing. Whether or not plant traits are subjected to selection remains an open question in species with mixed mating systems. We examined phenotypic selection in two populations of Halenia elliptica with different selfing rates. We found that the pollen–ovule ratio, seed size, plant height, spur length, and pollinator visitation rate in the population with the higher selfing rate were lower than those in the population with the lower selfing rate. Selfing provides reproductive assurance for populations when pollinator service is low, and the floral traits that are associated with selfing syndrome are evident in populations with a higher selfing rate but are subjected to weak selection in each of the two populations with different selfing rates. Directional selection for an early flowering time indicated that late blooming flowers could experience a risk of seed development in alpine environments, and for large plants, selection indicated that seed production could be limited by the available resources. The floral traits that are associated with pollinator attraction and specialization could be subjected to weak selection at the plant level as selfing evolves, and the selective pressures that are independent of pollinators might not change significantly; highlighting the selective biotic and abiotic pressures that shape the morphological traits of plant species and their independence from the mating system.

How early does the selfing syndrome arise? Associations between selfing ability and flower size within populations of the mixed-mater Collinsia verna

PREMISE

Widespread associations between selfing rate and floral size within and among taxa suggest that these traits may evolve in concert. Does this association develop immediately because of shared genetic and/or developmental control, or stepwise with selection shaping the evolution of one trait following the other? If the former, then association ought to appear within and across selfing populations. We explore this fundamental question in three populations of the mixed-mater Collinsia verna where autonomous selfing (AS) ability has been shown to be under selection by the pollination environment.

METHODS

We grew clonal replicates of C. verna in a controlled environment to characterize broad-sense genetic correlations among traits within populations and to assess whether divergence in mating system and floral traits among these populations is consistent with their previously observed selection pressures.

RESULTS

As predicted by their respective pollination environments, we demonstrate significant genetic divergence among populations in AS ability. However, patterns of divergence in floral traits (petal, stamen, and style size, stigmatic receptivity, and stigma-anther distance) were not as expected. Within populations, genetic variation in AS appeared largely independent from floral traits, except for a single weak negative association in one population between flower size and AS rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, these results suggest that associations between selfing rate and floral traits across Collinsia species are not reflected at microevolutionary scales. If C. verna were to continue evolving toward the selfing syndrome, floral trait evolution would likely follow stepwise from mating system evolution.

New genomic resources and comparative analyses reveal differences in floral gene expression in selfing and outcrossing Collinsia sister species

The evolutionary transition from outcross- to self-fertilization is one of the most common in angiosperms and is often associated with a parallel shift in floral morphological and developmental traits, such as reduced flower size and pollen to ovule ratios, known as the "selfing syndrome." How these convergent phenotypes arise, the extent to which they are shaped by selection, and the nature of their underlying genetic basis are unsettled questions in evolutionary biology. The genus Collinsia (Plantaginaceae) includes seven independent transitions from outcrossing or mixed mating to high selfing rates accompanied by selfing syndrome traits. Accordingly, Collinsia represents an ideal system for investigating this parallelism, but requires genomic resource development. We present a high quality de novo genome assembly for the highly selfing species Collinsia rattanii. To begin addressing the basis of selfing syndrome developmental shifts, we evaluate and contrast patterns of gene expression from floral transcriptomes across three stages of bud development for C. rattanii and its outcrossing sister species Collinsia linearis. Relative to C. linearis, total gene expression is less variable among individuals and bud stages in C. rattanii. In addition, there is a common pattern among differentially expressed genes: lower expression levels that are more constant across bud development in C. rattanii relative to C. linearis. Transcriptional regulation of enzymes involved in pollen formation specifically in early bud development may influence floral traits that distinguish selfing and outcrossing Collinsia species through pleiotropic functions. Future work will include additional Collinsia outcrossing-selfing species pairs to identify genomic signatures of parallel evolution.

Investigating the presence of compensatory evolution in dicamba resistant IAA16 mutated kochia (Bassia scoparia)†

BACKGROUND

Lack of fitness costs has been reported for multiple herbicide resistance traits, but the underlying evolutionary mechanisms are not well understood. Compensatory evolution that ameliorates resistance costs, has been documented in bacteria and insects but rarely studied in weeds. Dicamba resistant IAA16 (G73N) mutated kochia was previously found to have high fecundity in the absence of competition, regardless of significant vegetative growth defects. To understand if costs of dicamba resistance can be compensated through traits promoting reproductive success in kochia, we thoroughly characterized the reproductive growth and development of different G73N kochia biotypes. Flowering phenology, seed production and reproductive allocation were quantified through greenhouse studies, floral (stigma-anthers distance) and seed morphology, as well as resulting mating and seed dispersal systems were studied through time-course microcopy images.

RESULTS

G73N covaried with multiple phenological, morphological and ecological traits that improve reproductive fitness: (i) 16-60% higher reproductive allocation; (ii) longer reproduction phase through early flowering (2-7 days); (iii) smaller stigma-anthers separation (up to 60% reduction of herkogamy and dichogamy) that can potentially promote selfing and reproductive assurance; (iv) 'winged' seeds with 30-70% longer sepals that facilitate long-distance seed dispersal.

CONCLUSION

The current study demonstrates that costs of herbicide resistance can be ameliorated through coevolution of other fitness penalty alleviating traits. As illustrated in a hypothetical model, the evolution of herbicide resistance is an ongoing fitness maximization process, which poses challenges to contain the spread of resistance. © 2020 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Self-Compatibility Not Associated with Morphological or Genetic Diversity Reduction in Oil-Rewarding Calceolaria Species

One of the most common evolutionary transitions in angiosperms is the reproductive change from outcrossing to selfing, commonly associated with changes in floral biology and genetic diversity. Here, we aim to test whether self-compatibility leads to a reduction of floral traits and genetic diversity. For this, we experimentally estimate levels of self-compatibility, measure three floral traits and estimate four genetic diversity parameters using nine microsatellites in nine Calceolaria species. Our analysis indicated that four of the study species were self-incompatible. In addition, we found that self-compatible species did not show a reduction in floral traits size, but rather displayed larger corolla and elaiophore areas. Our analyses of genetic diversity identified larger allele number and observed heterozygosity in selfers than in outcrossers, but did not find larger inbreeding in the self-compatible species. Even though our results contradict our expectations, in the case of Calceolaria, their high dependence on only two genera of oil-bees puts the genus in a vulnerable reproductive position, probably facilitating the evolution of reproductive assurance mechanisms in the absence of pollinators. As a result, plants maintain their pollinator attraction traits while evolving the ability to self, possibly in a delayed way.

Direct and indirect selection on mate choice during pollen competition: Effects of male and female sexual traits on offspring performance following two-donor crosses

Mate choice in plants is poorly understood, in particular its indirect genetic benefits, but also the direct benefits of avoiding harmful matings. In the herb Collinsia heterophylla, delayed stigma receptivity has been suggested to enhance pollen competition, potentially functioning as a female mate choice trait. Previous studies show that this trait can mitigate the cost of early fertilization caused by pollen, thus providing a direct benefit. We performed two-donor pollinations during successive floral stages to assess how this stigma receptivity trait and two pollen traits known to affect siring success influence indirect benefits in terms of offspring performance. We also investigated differential resource allocation by studying the influence of sibling performance in the same capsule. Offspring performance in terms of flower number was mainly affected by parental identities and differential resource allocation. Offspring seed production showed some influence of resource allocation, but was also affected by pollen donor identity and varied positively with late stigma receptivity. However, the effect of late stigma receptivity on offspring seed production was weakened in matings with pollen that advanced stigma receptivity. In conclusion, delayed stigma receptivity may be selected through both direct and indirect fitness effects in C. heterophylla, where pollen-based delay on stigma receptivity might act as a cue for mate choice. However, selection may also be counteracted by antagonistic selection on pollen to advance stigma receptivity. Our results highlight the challenges of studying indirect genetic benefits and other factors that influence mate choice in plants.

The opportunity for outcrossing varies across the geographic range of the primarily selfing Clarkia xantiana ssp. parviflora

PREMISE

The timing of self-fertilization has potentially important consequences for the trajectory of mating system evolution, the opportunity for outcrossing, and the maintenance of genetic variation in populations. For primarily selfing taxa, it remains poorly understood as to how floral variation influences the opportunity for outcrossing and whether those attributes vary among populations across geographic ranges.

METHODS

We examined variation in floral traits (herkogamy, protandry, flower size, stigma stage at anthesis, timing of stigma receptivity) in seven populations of Clarkia xantiana ssp. parviflora, a primarily selfing taxon, spanning from the western to eastern margins of its distribution. We also performed experimental emasculations and pollinations (followed by stigma severing) to quantify the extent of opportunities for outcrossing across flower development.

RESULTS

There was marked among-population variation in all floral traits, particularly between far eastern and western populations. Emasculation experiments showed that the eastern populations had minimal autonomous selfing, but western populations had high rates of selfing within 24 h after anthesis. Population variation in autofertility was significantly predicted by floral trait variation, especially protandry and petal size.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater protandry both extended the time over which outcrossing could potentially occur and reduced the probability of autonomous selfing, suggesting that there may be a tradeoff that results in fitness loss when pollinator visits are not common. The east-west pattern of differentiation in some floral traits parallels that of postglacial range expansion, suggesting that selection on the mating system may have been strong in the process of range expansion.

Selection favors loss of floral pigmentation in a highly selfing morning glory

A common evolutionary trend in highly selfing plants is the evolution of the “selfing syndrome”, in which traits associated with pollinator attraction are lost or greatly reduced. Limited information is available on whether these trait reductions are favored by natural selection or result from reduced purifying selection coupled with genetic drift. This study attempted to distinguish between these two possibilities for the evolutionary loss of floral pigmentation in the highly selfing species Ipomoea lacunosa. This study also tested the hypothesis that loss of floral pigmentation is caused by downregulation or loss of function in a tissue-specific anthocyanin transcription factor, as has been found in other plants. F2 individuals of a cross between white and pigmented individuals revealed segregation at two epistatically acting loci: one affecting pigmentation in both corolla throat and limbs (Anl1) and one affecting limb pigmentation (Anl2). Individuals that are homozygous for the “white” allele at Anl1 have white throats and limbs regardless of genotype at Anl2. In individuals with pigmented throats, homozygosity of the “white” allele at Anl2 produces white limbs. Flower color variation at Anl1 cosegregates with an R2R3-Myb anthocyanin transcription factor, which is down-regulated in white-flowers but not in pigmented flowers. Differential expression of the two alleles of this gene indicates that down regulation is caused by a cis-regulatory change. Finally, allele-frequency differences at Anl1 were substantially and significantly greater than differences in allele frequencies at four microsatellite loci. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that the identified R2R3-Myb gene corresponds to Anl1 and that evolutionary loss of pigmentation in I. lacunosa was caused by selection. They are also consistent with previous studies demonstrating that loss of floral pigmentation is usually caused by down-regulation or functional inactivation of an R2R3-Myb gene.

Do selfing species have greater niche breadth? Support from ecological niche modeling

We explore the relationship between plant mating system (selfing or outcrossing) and niche breadth to gain new insights into processes that drive species distributions. Using a comparative approach with highly selfing versus highly outcrossing sister species, we test the extent to which: (1) species pairs have evolved significant niche divergence and less niche overlap, (2) selfers have wider niche breadths than outcrossers or vice versa, and (3) niches of selfers and outcrossers are defined by significant differences in environmental variables. We applied predictive ecological niche modeling approaches to estimate and contrast niche divergence, overlap and breadth, and to identify key environmental variables associated with each species' niche for seven sister species with divergent mating systems. Data from 4862 geo-referenced herbarium occurrence records were compiled for 14 species in Collinsia and Tonella (Plantaginaceae) and 19 environmental variables associated with each record. We found sister species display significant niche divergence, though not as a function of divergence time, and overall, selfers have significantly wider niche breadths compared to their outcrossing sisters. Our results suggest that a selfing mating system likely contributes to the greater capacity to reach, reproduce, establish, and adapt to new habitats, which increases niche breadth of selfers.

Importance of Pollinator-Mediated Interspecific Pollen Transfer for Angiosperm Evolution

Understanding how pollen moves between species is critical to understanding speciation, diversification, and evolution of flowering plants. For co-flowering species that share pollinators, competition through interspecific pollen transfer (IPT) can profoundly impact floral evolution, decreasing female fitness via heterospecific pollen deposition on stigmas and male fitness via pollen misplacement during visits to heterospecific flowers. The pollination literature demonstrates that such reproductive interference frequently selects for reproductive character displacement in floral traits linked to pollinator attraction, pollen placement, and mating systems and has also revealed that IPT between given pairs of species is typically asymmetric. More recent work is starting to elucidate its importance to the speciation process, clarifying the link between IPT and current and historical patterns of hybridization, the evolution of phenotypic novelty through adaptive introgression, and the rise of reproductive isolation. Our review aims to stimulate further research on IPT as a ubiquitous mechanism that plays a central role in angiosperm diversification.

Reproductive transitions in plants and animals: selfing syndrome, sexual selection and speciation

The evolution of predominant self-fertilisation frequently coincides with the evolution of a collection of phenotypes that comprise the 'selfing syndrome', in both plants and animals. Genomic features also display a selfing syndrome. Selfing syndrome traits often involve changes to male and female reproductive characters that were subject to sexual selection and sexual conflict in the obligatorily outcrossing ancestor, including the gametic phase for both plants and animals. Rapid evolution of reproductive traits, due to both relaxed selection and directional selection under the new status of predominant selfing, lays the genetic groundwork for reproductive isolation. Consequently, shifts in sexual selection pressures coupled to transitions to selfing provide a powerful paradigm for investigating the speciation process. Plant and animal studies, however, emphasise distinct selective forces influencing reproductive-mode transitions: genetic transmission advantage to selfing or reproductive assurance outweighing the costs of inbreeding depression vs the costs of males and meiosis. Here, I synthesise links between sexual selection, evolution of selfing and speciation, with particular focus on identifying commonalities and differences between plant and animal systems and pointing to areas warranting further synergy.

Development of genomic microsatellite markers for Aconitum gymnandrum (Ranunculaceae) by next generation sequencing (NGS)

Mating plays key roles in the demographic and genetic dynamics of populations. Estimates of mating portfolios and system based on progeny array (PA) method required highly polymorphic genetic markers, of which microsatellite is a good choice. In this study, we reported 19 polymorphic microsatellite loci for Aconitum gymnandrum. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12. Observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 1.000 and from 0.219 to 0.842, respectively. Seven loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These markers will provide a useful tool for pollination ecology and population genetic studies of A. gymnandrum in Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

Pollen limitation and autonomous selfing ability interact to shape variation in outcrossing rate across a species range

PREMISE

Hermaphroditic plants commonly reproduce through a mixture of selfing and outcrossing. The degree to which outcrossing rates reflect the availability of outcross pollen, genetic differentiation in the ability to autonomously self-fertilize, or both is often unclear. Despite the potential for autonomy and the pollination environment to jointly influence outcrossing, this interaction is rarely studied.

METHODS

We reviewed studies from the literature that tested whether the pollination environment or floral traits that cause autonomous selfing predict variation in outcrossing rate among populations. We also measured outcrossing rates in 23 populations of Campanula americana and examined associations with the pollination environment, autonomy, and their interaction.

RESULTS

Our review revealed that traits that facilitate selfing were often negatively associated with outcrossing rates whereas most aspects of the pollination environment poorly predicted outcrossing. Populations of C. americana varied from mixed mating to highly outcrossing, but variation was unrelated to population size, density, pollen limitation, or autonomous selfing ability. Outcrossing rate was significantly influenced by an interaction between autonomous selfing ability and pollen limitation. Across highly autonomous populations, elevated pollen limitation was associated with reduced outcrossing, while there was no relationship for less autonomous populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the ability to self autonomously and pollen limitation interact to shape outcrossing rates in C. americana. This work suggests that autonomy affords mating-system flexibility, though it is not ubiquitous in all populations across the species range. Interactions between traits influencing autonomy and pollen limitation are likely to explain variation in outcrossing rates among populations of flowering plants.

Pollen performance decreases with plant age for outcrosser but not selfer: evidence for cost of male performance

PREMISE

Declines in reproductive capabilities with increasing age are common across the tree of life. However, in plants, mating system traits have rarely been tested for signs of senescence. Since reproduction is often resource limited, we might expect outcrossing and selfing taxa to allocate these resources differently, especially as a plant ages. Compared with selfers, outcrossers are expected to produce showy, rewarding flowers that attract pollinators and high-quality pollen that can successfully compete for ovules. Yet, this resource-intensive strategy of outcrossers may result in declines in floral allocation and pollen performance metrics, relative to selfers.

METHODS

To explore age-related changes in reproduction, we measured flower size and pollen germinability over the flowering period for multiple populations of an annual sister species pair, Collinsia linearis (outcrosser) and C. rattanii (selfer), in a growth chamber experiment.

RESULTS

We found that flower size decreased significantly with age in both species. The outcrosser expressed a significant and dramatic (88%) decline in pollen germinability with age, while the selfer's pollen germinability decline was non-significant and low (17%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the idea that the higher total cost of reproduction in outcrossers can deplete available resources more rapidly than in selfers, manifesting as a decline in male performance with plant age.

Shifts to earlier selfing in sympatry may reduce costs of pollinator sharing

Coexisting plant congeners often experience strong competition for resources. Competition for pollinators can result in direct fitness costs via reduced seed set or indirect costs via heterospecific pollen transfer (HPT), causing subsequent gamete loss and unfit hybrid offspring production. Autonomous selfing may alleviate these costs, but to preempt HPT, selfing should occur early, before opportunities for HPT occur (i.e., "preemptive selfing hypothesis"). We evaluated conditions for this hypothesis in Collinsia sister species, C. linearis and C. rattanii. In field studies, we found virtually identical flowering times and pollinator sharing between congeners in sympatric populations. Compared to allopatric populations, sympatric C. linearis populations enjoyed higher pollinator visitation rates, whereas visitation to C. rattanii did not differ in sympatry. Importantly, the risk of HPT to each species in sympatry was strongly asymmetrical; interspecies visits comprised 40% of all flower-to-flower visits involving C. rattanii compared to just 4% involving C. linearis. Additionally, our greenhouse experiment demonstrated a strong cost of hybridization when C. rattanii was the pollen donor. Together, these results suggest that C. rattanii pays the greatest cost of pollinator sharing. Matching predictions of the preemptive selfing hypothesis, C. rattanii exhibit significantly earlier selfing in sympatric relative to allopatric populations.

Competitive ability of Capsella species with different mating systems and ploidy levels

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Capsella is a model genus for studying the transition from outcrossing to selfing, with or without change in ploidy levels. The genomic consequences and changes in reproductive traits (selfing syndrome) associated with these shifts have been studied in depth. However, potential ecological divergence among species of the genus has not been determined. Among ecological traits, competitive ability could be relevant for selfing evolution, as selfing has been shown to be statistically associated with reduced competitiveness in a recent meta-analysis.

METHODS

We assessed the effect of competition on three Capsella species differing in their mating system and ploidy level. We used an experimental design where fitness related traits were measured in focal individuals with and without competitors.

KEY RESULTS

The diploid selfer (C. rubella) was most sensitive to competition, whereas the tetraploid selfer (C. bursa-pastoris) performed the best, with the diploid outcrosser (C. grandiflora) being intermediate.

CONCLUSIONS

These results add to the detailed characterization of Capsella species and highlight the possible roles of ecological context and ploidy in the evolutionary trajectories of selfing species.

Correlation between the timing of autonomous selfing and floral traits: a comparative study from three selfing Gentianopsis species (Gentianaceae)

About 20% of angiosperms employ self-fertilization as their main mating strategy. In this study, we aimed to examine how the selfing timing correlated with floral traits in three Gentianopsis species in which autonomous selfing is achieved through filament elongation. Although the three Gentianopsis species exhibit no significant variation in their capacity for autonomous selfing, flowers of G. grandis last longer, are larger and have a higher corolla biomass, P/O ratios and male biomass allocation than those of G. paludosa, and especially those of G. contorta. Autonomous selfing occurs in the early floral life of G. paludosa and G. contorta and in the later floral life of G. grandis. Seed production mainly results from autonomous selfing in G. paludosa and G. contorta; however, G. grandis could be more described as having a mixed mating system. We suggest that autonomous selfing in later floral life increases the chance of cross-pollination prior to this, while autonomous selfing in early floral life offers a selective advantage to plants by reducing the resource investment in traits that may increase pollinator attraction and visitation.

Timing is everything: Dichogamy and pollen germinability underlie variation in autonomous selfing among populations

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

The evolution of multiple floral traits often underlies the transition from outcrossing to selfing. Such traits can influence the ability to self, and the timing at which selfing occurs, which in turn affects the costs of selfing. Species that display variation in autonomous selfing provide an opportunity to dissect the phenotypic changes that contribute to variability in the mating system.

METHODS

In a common garden, we measured dichogamy and herkogamy in 24 populations of the protandrous mixed-mating herb Campanula americana, and related these to autonomous fruit set (autonomy). We then measured the timing of self-pollen deposition and fruit production in populations with high and low autonomy, and determined whether pollen germinability across floral development contributes to variation in autonomy.

KEY RESULTS

Populations that transitioned more rapidly to female phase displayed elevated autonomous selfing, but herkogamy was unassociated with autonomous selfing. Selfing occurred more rapidly in highly autonomous populations because of greater self-pollen deposition early in female phase. Pollen germinability in low-autonomy populations remained constant across floral development, but in high-autonomy populations it increased after floral anthesis and was highest near the onset of female phase.

CONCLUSIONS

Reduced dichogamy, elevated self-pollen deposition, and higher pollen germination late in male phase contribute to both earlier selfing and greater selfing. These traits vary among populations, likely reflecting past selection on the mating system. While delayed selfing bears fewer fitness costs, the evolution of earlier selfing may be favored if self-pollen availability decreases over floral development.

Inbreeding depression is high in a self-incompatible perennial herb population but absent in a self-compatible population showing mixed mating

High inbreeding depression is thought to be one of the major factors preventing evolutionary transitions in hermaphroditic plants from self‐incompatibility (SI) and outcrossing toward self‐compatibility (SC) and selfing. However, when selfing does evolve, inbreeding depression can be quickly purged, allowing the evolution of complete self‐fertilization. In contrast, populations that show intermediate selfing rates (a mixed‐mating system) typically show levels of inbreeding depression similar to those in outcrossing species, suggesting that selection against inbreeding might be responsible for preventing the transition toward complete self‐fertilization. By implication, crosses among populations should reveal patterns of heterosis for mixed‐mating populations that are similar to those expected for outcrossing populations. Using hand‐pollination crosses, we compared levels of inbreeding depression and heterosis between populations of Linaria cavanillesii (Plantaginaceae), a perennial herb showing contrasting mating systems. The SI population showed high inbreeding depression, whereas the SC population displaying mixed mating showed no inbreeding depression. In contrast, we found that heterosis based on between‐population crosses was similar for SI and SC populations. Our results are consistent with the rapid purging of inbreeding depression in the derived SC population, despite the persistence of mixed mating. However, the maintenance of outcrossing after a transition to SC is inconsistent with the prediction that populations that have purged their inbreeding depression should evolve toward complete selfing, suggesting that the transition to SC in L. cavanillesii has been recent. SC in L. cavanillesii thus exemplifies a situation in which the mating system is likely not at an equilibrium with inbreeding depression.

Maintenance of mixed mating after the loss of self-incompatibility in a long-lived perennial herb

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Many hermaphroditic plants avoid self-fertilization by means of a molecular self-incompatibility (SI) system, a complex trait that is difficult to evolve but relatively easy to lose. Loss of SI is a prerequisite for an evolutionary transition from obligate outcrossing to self-fertilization, which may bring about rapid changes in the genetic diversity and structure of populations. Loss of SI is also often followed by the evolution of a 'selfing syndrome', with plants having small flowers, little nectar and few pollen grains per ovule. Here, we document the loss of SI in the long-lived Spanish toadflax Linaria cavanillesii, which has led to mixed mating rather than a transition to a high rate of selfing and in which an outcrossing syndrome has been maintained.

METHODS

We performed crosses within and among six populations of L. cavanillesii in the glasshouse, measured floral traits in a common-garden experiment, performed a pollen-limitation experiment in the field and conducted population genetic analyses using microsatellites markers.

KEY RESULTS

Controlled crosses revealed variation in SI from fully SI through intermediate SI to fully self-compatible (SC). Flowers of SC individuals showed no evidence of a selfing syndrome. Although the SC population of L. cavanillesii had lower within-population genetic diversity than SI populations, as expected, population differentiation among all populations was extreme and represents an F_ST outlier in the distribution for both selfing and outcrossing species of flowering plants.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, our results suggest that the transition to SC in L. cavanillesii has probably been very recent, and may have been aided by selection during or following a colonization bottleneck rather than in the absence of pollinators. We find little indication that the transition to SC has been driven by selection for reproductive assurance under conditions currently prevailing in natural populations.

Mating system transitions in Solanum habrochaites impact interactions between populations and species

In plants, transitions in mating system from outcrossing to self-fertilization are common; however, the impact of these transitions on interspecific and interpopulation reproductive barriers is not fully understood. We examined the consequences of mating system transition for reproductive barriers in 19 populations of the wild tomato species Solanum habrochaites. We identified S. habrochaites populations with self-incompatible (SI), self-compatible (SC) and mixed population (MP) mating systems, and characterized pollen-pistil interactions among S. habrochaites populations and between S. habrochaites and other tomato species. We examined the relationship between mating system, floral morphology, interspecific and interpopulation compatibility and pistil SI factors. We documented five distinct phenotypic groups by combining reproductive behavior with molecular data. Transitions from SI to MP were not associated with weakened interspecific reproductive barriers or loss of known pistil SI factors. However, transitions to SC at the northern range margin were accompanied by loss of S-RNase, smaller flowers, and weakened (or absent) interspecific pollen-pistil barriers. Finally, we identified a subset of SC populations that exhibited a partial interpopulation reproductive barrier with central SI populations. Our results support the hypothesis that shifts in mating system, followed by additional loss-of-function mutations, impact reproductive barriers within and between species.

Variation in floral morphology and plant reproductive success in four Ipomoea species (Convolvulaceae) with contrasting breeding systems

This study tested the hypothesis that self-compatibility would be associated with floral traits that facilitate autonomous self-pollination to ensure reproduction under low pollinator visitation. In a comparison of two pairs of Ipomoea species with contrasting breeding systems, we predicted that self-compatible (SC) species would have smaller, less variable flowers, reduced herkogamy, lower pollinator visitation and higher reproductive success than their self-incompatible (SI) congeners. We studied sympatric species pairs, I. hederacea (SC)- I. mitchellae (SI) and I. purpurea (SC)-I. indica (SI), in Mexico, over two years. We quantified variation in floral traits and nectar production, documented pollinator visitation, and determined natural fruit and seed set. Hand-pollination and bagging experiments were conducted to determine potential for autonomous self-pollination and apomixis. Self-compatible Ipomoea species had smaller flowers and lower nectar production than SI species; however, floral variation and integration did not vary according to breeding system. Bees were primary pollinators of all species, but visitation rates were seven times lower in SC than SI species. SC species had a high capacity for autonomous self-pollination due to reduced herkogamy at the highest anther levels. Self-compatible species had two to six times higher fruit set than SI species. Results generally support the hypothesis that self-compatibility and autonomous self-pollination ensure reproduction under low pollinator visitation. However, high variation in morphological traits of SC Ipomoea species suggests they maintain variation through outcrossing. Furthermore, reduced herkogamy was associated with high potential for autonomous self-pollination, providing a reproductive advantage that possibly underlies transitions to self-compatibility in Ipomoea.

Differential selection on pollen and pistil traits in relation to pollen competition in the context of a sexual conflict over timing of stigma receptivity

Sexual conflict and its evolutionary consequences are understudied in plants, but the theory of sexual conflict may help explain how selection generates and maintains variability. Here, we investigated selection on pollen and pistil traits when pollen arrives sequentially to partially receptive pistils in relation to pollen competition and a sexual conflict over timing of stigma receptivity in the mixed-mating annual Collinsia heterophylla (Plantaginaceae). In this species the conflict is generated by early fertilizing pollen that reduces seed production, which is counteracted by delaying receptivity in the recipient. We performed sequential two-donor pollinations at early floral developmental stages involving two pollen deposition schedules (with or without a time lag of 1 day), using only outcross or self and outcross pollen. We investigated pollen and pistil traits in relation to siring success (male fitness) and seed production (female fitness). In contrast to previous findings in receptive pistils in C. heterophylla and in other species, last arriving pollen donors showed highest siring success in partially receptive pistils. The last male advantage was weaker when self pollen was the first arriving donor. Two measures of germination rate (early and late) and pollen tube growth rate of first arriving donors were important for siring success in crosses with a time lag, while only late germination rate had an effect in contemporary crosses. Curiously, late stigma receptivity was negatively related to seed production in our contemporary crosses, which was opposite to expectation. Our results in combination with previous studies suggest that pollen and pistil traits in C. heterophylla are differentially advantageous depending on stage of floral development and varying pollen deposition schedules. Variation in success of these traits over floral development time may result from sexually antagonistic selection.

Selection on pollen and pistil traits during pollen competition is affected by both sexual conflict and mixed mating in a self-compatible herb

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Although much attention has focused on the diversity of plant mating systems, only a few studies have considered the joint effects of mating system and sexual conflict in plant evolution. In mixed-mating Collinsia heterophylla, a sexual conflict over timing of stigma receptivity is proposed: pollen with a capacity to induce early onset of stigma receptivity secures paternity for early-arriving pollen (at the expense of reduced maternal seed set), whereas late onset of stigma receptivity mitigates the negative effects of early-arriving pollen. Here we investigated whether selection on pollen and pistil traits involved in sexual conflict is affected by the presence of both outcross- and self-pollen (mixed mating) during pollen competition.

METHODS

We conducted two-donor crosses at different floral developmental stages to explore male fitness (siring ability) and female fitness (seed set) in relation to male and female identity, pollen and pistil traits, and type of competitor pollen (outcross vs. self).

KEY RESULTS

Late-fertilizing pollen rather than rapidly growing pollen tubes was most successful in terms of siring success, especially in competition with self-pollen after pollination at early floral stages. Late stigma receptivity increased seed set after early-stage pollinations, in agreement with selection against antagonistic pollen.

CONCLUSIONS

Selection on pollen and pistil traits in C. heterophylla is affected by both sexual conflict and mixed mating, suggesting the importance of jointly considering these factors in plant evolution.

Postpollination discrimination between self and outcross pollen covaries with the mating system of a self-compatible flowering plant

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Variation in the mating system of hermaphroditic plant populations is determined by interactions between genetic and environmental factors operating via both pre- and postmating processes. Models predicting the maintenance of intermediate outcrossing rates in animal-pollinated plants often assume that the mating system is primarily controlled by floral morphology and pollinator availability, but rarely has the influence of postpollination processes on variation in outcrossing been examined.

METHODS

We investigated the influence of stylar discrimination between illegitimate and legitimate pollen-tube growth and the pollen-load capacity of stigmas on mating-system variation in the annual, tristylous species Eichhornia paniculata using controlled crosses and genetic markers. This species exhibits an exceptionally broad range of outcrossing rates in natural populations.

KEY RESULTS

There was significant variation among populations in the pollen-load capacity of stigmas and the ability of styles to discriminate between illegitimate vs. legitimate pollen. There was strong correspondence between stylar-discrimination ability and variation in outcrossing rate among populations and style morphs. The combination of stigmatic pollen-load capacity and stylar discrimination explained more than 80% of the variation in outcrossing rates among populations.

CONCLUSIONS

The finding that stigmatic pollen-load capacity and stylar-discrimination ability contributed significantly to explaining the wide range of outcrossing rates in E. paniculata suggests that postpollination mechanisms play an important role in governing mating patterns in this species. The difference in levels of stylar discrimination between outcrossing and selfing populations may reflect a trade-off between selection for increased outcrossing and greater reproductive assurance.

The demography and population genomics of evolutionary transitions to self-fertilization in plants

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, genetics and evolution of selfing lineages. As a result, there has been sustained interest in understanding the mechanisms driving the evolution of selfing and its environmental context. Recently, patterns of molecular variation have been used to make inferences about the selective mechanisms associated with mating system transitions. However, these inferences can be complicated by the action of linked selection following the transition. Here, using multilocus simulations and comparative molecular data from related selfers and outcrossers, we demonstrate that there is little evidence for strong bottlenecks associated with initial transitions to selfing, and our simulation results cast doubt on whether it is possible to infer the role of bottlenecks associated with reproductive assurance in the evolution of selfing. They indicate that the effects of background selection on the loss of diversity and efficacy of selection occur rapidly following the shift to high selfing. Future comparative studies that integrate explicit ecological and genomic details are necessary for quantifying the independent and joint effects of selection and demography on transitions to selfing and the loss of genetic diversity.

Using theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict to improve our understanding of plant ecology and evolution

Today it is accepted that the theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict are general and can be applied to both animals and plants. However, potentially due to a controversial history, plant studies investigating sexual selection and sexual conflict are relatively rare. Moreover, these theories and concepts are seldom implemented in research fields investigating related aspects of plant ecology and evolution. Even though these theories are complex, and can be difficult to study, we suggest that several fields in plant biology would benefit from incorporating and testing the impact of selection pressures generated by sexual selection and sexual conflict. Here we give examples of three fields where we believe such incorporation would be particularly fruitful, including (i) mechanisms of pollen-pistil interactions, (ii) mating-system evolution in hermaphrodites and (iii) plant immune responses to pests and pathogens.

Origins of Plant Diversity in the California Floristic Province

Recent biogeographic and evolutionary studies have led to improved understanding of the origins of exceptionally high plant diversity in the California Floristic Province (CA-FP). Spatial analyses of Californian plant diversity and endemism reinforce the importance of geographically isolated areas of high topographic and edaphic complexity as floristic hot spots, in which the relative influence of factors promoting evolutionary divergence and buffering of lineages against extinction has gained increased attention. Molecular phylogenetic studies spanning the flora indicate that immediate sources of CA-FP lineages bearing endemic species diversity have been mostly within North America—especially within the west and southwest—even for groups of north temperate affinity, and that most diversification of extant lineages in the CA-FP has occurred since the mid-Miocene, with the transition toward summer-drying. Process-focused studies continue to implicate environmental heterogeneity at local or broad geographic scales in evolutionary divergence within the CA-FP, often associated with reproductive or life-history shifts or sometimes hybridization.

Limited genomic consequences of mixed mating in the recently derived sister species pair, Collinsia concolor and Collinsia parryi

Highly selfing species often show reduced effective population sizes and reduced selection efficacy. Whether mixed mating species, which produce both self and outcross progeny, show similar patterns of diversity and selection remains less clear. Examination of patterns of molecular evolution and levels of diversity in species with mixed mating systems can be particularly useful for investigating the relative importance of linked selection and demographic effects on diversity and the efficacy of selection, as the effects of linked selection should be minimal in mixed mating populations, although severe bottlenecks tied to founder events could still be frequent. To begin to address this gap, we assembled and analysed the transcriptomes of individuals from a recently diverged mixed mating sister species pair in the self-compatible genus, Collinsia. The de novo assembly of 52 and 37 Mbp C. concolor and C. parryi transcriptomes resulted in ~40 000 and ~55 000 contigs, respectively, both with an average contig size ~945. We observed a high ratio of shared polymorphisms to fixed differences in the species pair and minimal differences between species in the ratio of synonymous to replacement substitutions or codon usage bias implying comparable effective population sizes throughout species divergence. Our results suggest that differences in effective population size and selection efficacy in mixed mating taxa shortly after their divergence may be minimal and are likely influenced by fluctuating mating systems and population sizes.

Floral longevity and autonomous selfing are altered by pollination and water availability in Collinsia heterophylla

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A plant investing in reproduction partitions resources between flowering and seed production. Under resource limitation, altered allocations may result in floral trait variations, leading to compromised fecundity. Floral longevity and timing of selfing are often the traits most likely to be affected. The duration of corolla retention determines whether fecundity results from outcrossing or by delayed selfing-mediated reproductive assurance. In this study, the role of pollination schedules and soil water availability on floral longevity and seed production is tested in Collinsia heterophylla (Plantaginaceae).

METHODS

Using three different watering regimes and pollination schedules, effects on floral longevity and seed production were studied in this protandrous, flowering annual.

KEY RESULTS

The results reveal that soil water status and pollination together influence floral longevity with low soil water and hand-pollinations early in the floral lifespan reducing longevity. However, early pollinations under excess water did not extend longevity, implying that resource surplus does not lengthen the outcrossing period. The results also indicate that pollen receipt, a reliable cue for fecundity, accelerates flower drop. Early corolla abscission under drought stress could potentially exacerbate sexual conflict in this protandrous, hermaphroditic species by ensuring self-pollen paternity and enabling male control of floral longevity. While pollination schedules did not affect fecundity, water stress reduced per-capita seed numbers. Unmanipulated flowers underwent delayed autonomous selfing, producing very few seeds, suggesting that inbreeding depression may limit benefits of selfing.

CONCLUSIONS

In plants where herkogamy and dichogamy facilitate outcrossing, floral longevity determines reproductive success and mating system. Reduction in longevity under drought suggests a strong environmental effect that could potentially alter the preferred breeding mode in this mixed-mated species. Extrapolating the findings to unpredictable global drought cycles, it is suggested that in addition to reducing yield, water stress may influence the evolutionary trajectory of plant mating system.

Evolutionary consequences of self-fertilization in plants

The transition from outcrossing to self-fertilization is one of the most common evolutionary changes in plants, yet only about 10-15% of flowering plants are predominantly selfing. To explain this phenomenon, Stebbins proposed that selfing may be an 'evolutionary dead end'. According to this hypothesis, transitions from outcrossing to selfing are irreversible, and selfing lineages suffer from an increased risk of extinction owing to a reduced potential for adaptation. Thus, although selfing can be advantageous in the short term, selfing lineages may be mostly short-lived owing to higher extinction rates. Here, we review recent results relevant to the 'dead-end hypothesis' of selfing and the maintenance of outcrossing over longer evolutionary time periods. In particular, we highlight recent results regarding diversification rates in self-incompatible and self-compatible taxa, and review evidence regarding the accumulation of deleterious mutations in selfing lineages. We conclude that while some aspects of the hypothesis of selfing as a dead end are supported by theory and empirical results, the evolutionary and ecological mechanisms remain unclear. We highlight the need for more studies on the effects of quantitative changes in outcrossing rates and on the potential for adaptation, particularly in selfing plants. In addition, there is growing evidence that transitions to selfing may themselves be drivers of speciation, and future studies of diversification and speciation should investigate this further.

Is self-fertilization an evolutionary dead end?

A compound hypothesis positing that self-fertilization is an evolutionary dead end conflates two distinct claims: the transition from outcrossing to selfing is unidirectional; and the diversification rate, or the balance of the speciation and extinction rate, is negative for selfing species. Both claims have enjoyed widespread informal support for decades, but have recently come under suspicion. Sources of data that apparently contradict strongly asymmetric mating system transitions often rely on statistical phylogenetic tests plagued by profound flaws. Although recently developed models mend preceding approaches, they have been employed sparingly, and many problems remain. Theoretical investigations, genetic data and applications of new phylogenetic methods provide indirect support for an association of selfing with negative diversification rates. We lack direct tests of reversals from selfing to outcrossing, and require data concerning the genetic basis and complexity of independently evolved outcrossing adaptations. The identification of the mechanisms that limit the longevity of selfing lineages has been difficult. Limitations may include brief and variable durations of selfing lineages, as well as ongoing difficulties in relating additive genetic and nucleotide variation. Furthermore, a common line of evidence for the stability of mixed mating - based simply on its frequent occurrence - is misleading. We make specific suggestions for research programs that aim to provide a richer understanding of mating system evolution and seriously challenge Stebbins' venerable hypothesis.

Differences in dichogamy and herkogamy contribute to higher selfing in contrasting environments in the annual Blackstonia perfoliata (Gentianaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The establishment of plant populations in novel environments may generate pronounced shifts in floral traits and plant mating systems, particularly when pollinators are scarce. In this study, floral morphology and mating system functioning are compared between recently established and older populations of the annual plant Blackstonia perfoliata that occur in different pollinator environments.

METHODS

Hand-pollination and emasculation experiments were conducted to assess the extent of pollinator-mediated pollen deposition and pollen limitation, and the contribution of autonomous selfing to total seed production. Detailed measurements of key floral traits were performed to compare the flower morphology and mating system functioning between plants from both pollination environments.

KEY RESULTS

Pollinator-mediated pollen deposition was about twice as low in the recently colonized and pollinator-poor environment compared with the old and pollinator-rich sites, but total seed set was little affected by any type of pollen limitation. The contribution of autonomous selfing to total seed production was higher in the pollinator-poor sites than in the pollinator-rich sites (index of reproductive assurance = 0·56 and 0·17, respectively), and seed production was only poorly affected by selfing, whereas in the pollinator-rich populations selfing reduced total reproductive output by about 40 % compared with outcross pollination. Plants originating from pollinator-poor environments produced smaller flowers that showed significantly lower levels of dichogamy (i.e. protogyny) and herkogamy. These reductions resulted in a 2-fold higher capacity for autonomous selfing under pollinator-free conditions (index of autonomous selfing = 0·81 and 0·41 in plants originating from the pollinator-poor and pollinator-rich environment, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The results illustrate that plant populations colonizing novel environments can differ markedly in floral morphology and mating system functioning. Due to a temporal shift in the male phase, the breeding system of B. perfoliata shifted from delayed selfing under pollinator-rich conditions towards competing selfing in recently established populations, providing greater reproductive assurance when pollinators and/or reproductive partners are limited.

Comparative population genomics in Collinsia sister species reveals evidence for reduced effective population size, relaxed selection, and evolution of biased gene conversion with an ongoing mating system shift

Selfing species experience reduced effective recombination rates and effective population size, which can lead to reductions in polymorphism and the efficacy of natural selection. Here, we use illumina transcriptome sequencing and population resequencing to test for changes in polymorphism, base composition, and selection in the selfing angiosperm Collinsia rattanii (Plantaginaceae) compared with its more outcrossing sister species Collinsia linearis. Coalescent analysis indicates intermediate species divergence (500,000-1 million years) with no ongoing gene flow, but also evidence that the C. rattanii clade remains polymorphic for floral morphology and mating system, suggesting either an ongoing shift to selfing or a potential reversal from selfing to outcrossing. We identify a significant reduction in polymorphism in C. rattanii, particularly within populations. Analysis of polymorphisms suggests an elevated ratio of unique nonsynonymous to synonymous polymorphism in C. rattanii, consistent with relaxed selection in selfing lineages. We additionally find higher linkage disequilibrium and differentiation, lower GC content at variable sites, and reduced expression of genes important in pollen production and pollinator attraction in C. rattanii compared with C. linearis. Together, our results highlight the potential for rapid shifts in the efficacy of selection, gene expression and base composition associated with ongoing evolution of selfing.

Evolution of the selfing syndrome in Ipomoea

Plants that are highly selfing typically exhibit a suite of morphological traits termed a "selfing syndrome," including reduced corollas and reproductive structures, loss of corolla pigmentation, little anther-stigma separation, and a lower pollen/ovule (P/O) ratio. While it is typically assumed that these changes are adaptive, few attempts have been made to determine whether they result from the operation of natural selection or genetic drift. In the southeastern United States, Ipomoea lacunosa has evolved a typical selfing syndrome compared to its close relative, Ipomoea cordatotriloba. Microsatellite markers confirmed that selfing rates are substantially higher in I. lacunosa. Furthermore, using a standard QST - FST comparison, we evaluated the relative importance of selection and drift in the evolution of selfing syndrome traits in I. lacunosa. The analysis demonstrated that natural selection is responsible for the evolution of reduced corolla size, anther-stigma distance, and style length in this species. By contrast, leaf characteristics unrelated to selfing were found to have diverged largely by genetic drift. Our study provides one of the first confirmations that natural selection drives the evolution of selfing-syndrome traits.

New perspectives on the evolution of plant mating systems

BACKGROUND

The remarkable diversity of mating patterns and sexual systems in flowering plants has fascinated evolutionary biologists for more than a century. Enduring questions about this topic include why sexual polymorphisms have evolved independently in over 100 plant families, and why proportions of self- and cross-fertilization often vary dramatically within and among populations. Important new insights concerning the evolutionary dynamics of plant mating systems have built upon a strong foundation of theoretical models and innovative field and laboratory experiments. However, as the pace of advancement in this field has accelerated, it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to follow developments outside their primary area of research expertise.

SCOPE

In this Viewpoint paper we highlight three important themes that span and integrate different subdisciplines: the changes in morphology, phenology, and physiology that accompany the transition to selfing; the evolutionary consequences of pollen pool diversity in flowering plants; and the evolutionary dynamics of sexual polymorphisms. We also highlight recent developments in molecular techniques that will facilitate more efficient and cost-effective study of mating patterns in large natural populations, research on the dynamics of pollen transport, and investigations on the genetic basis of sexual polymorphisms. This Viewpoint also serves as the introduction to a Special Issue on the Evolution of Plant Mating Systems. The 15 papers in this special issue provide inspiring examples of recent discoveries, and glimpses of exciting developments yet to come.