The development of enantiostyly

Abstract

Enantiostyly, the deflection of the style either to the left (left-styled) or right (right-styled) side of the floral axis, has evolved in at least ten angiosperm families. Two types of enantiostyly occur: monomorphic enantiostyly, in which individuals exhibit both stylar orientations, and dimorphic enantiostyly, in which the two stylar orientations occur on separate plants. To evaluate architectural or developmental constraints on the evolution of both forms of enantiostyly, we examined inflorescence structure and floral development among unrelated enantiostylous species. We investigated relations between the position of left- and right-styled flowers and inflorescence architecture in four monomorphic enantiostylous species, and we examined the development of enantiostyly in nine monomorphic and dimorphic enantiostylous species from five unrelated lineages. The location of left- and right-styled flowers within inflorescences ranged from highly predictable (in Solanum rostratum) to random (in Heteranthera mexicana). There were striking differences among taxa in the timing of stylar bending. In Wachendorfia paniculata, Dilatris corymbosa, and Philydrum lanuginosum, the style deflected in the bud, whereas in Heteranthera spp., Monochoria australasica, Cyanella lutea, and Solanum rostratum, stylar bending occurred at the beginning of anthesis. Comparisons of organ initiation and development indicated that asymmetries along the left-right axis were expressed very late in development, despite the early initiation of a dorsiventral asymmetry. We suggest that the evolution of dimorphic enantiostyly from monomorphic enantiostyly may be constrained by a lack of left-right positional information in the bud.