Control of Flower Size

Author(s)

Beth A. Krizek, University of South Carolina - ColumbiaFollow
Jill T. Anderson, University of South Carolina - ColumbiaFollow

Document Type

Article

Subject Area(s)

Botany

Abstract

Flowers exhibit amazing morphological diversity in many traits, including their size. In addition to interspecific flower size differences, many species maintain significant variation in flower size within and among populations. Flower size variation can contribute to reproductive isolation of species and thus has clear evolutionary consequences. In this review we integrate information on flower size variation from both evolutionary and developmental biology perspectives. We examine the role of flower size in the context of mating system evolution. In addition, we describe what is currently known about the genetic basis of flower size based on quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in several different plant species and molecular genetic studies in model plants, primarily Arabidopsis thaliana. Work in Arabidopsis suggests that many independent pathways regulate floral organ growth via effects on cell proliferation and/or cell expansion.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ert025

Publication Info

Published in Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 64, Issue 6, 2013, pages 1427-1437.

Rights

© Journal of Experimental Botany 2013, Society for Experimental Biology.

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APA Citation

Krizek, B., & Anderson, J. (2013). Control of Flower Size. Journal of Experimental Botany, 64(6), 1427–1437. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ert025