1998/11/01 by Paul R. Neal, Amots Dafni, Martín Giurfa · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Psychology · Mathematics · Engineering · #Plant and animal studies #Plant Parasitism and Resistance #Plant Diversity and Evolution #Pollinator #Terminology #Confusion #Symmetry (geometry) #Pollination #Biology #Bilateral symmetry #Evolutionary biology #Ecology #Psychology #Mathematics #Linguistics #Philosophy #Geometry #Pollen #Engineering
paper · doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.29.1.345
openalex publication_date 1998/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
▪ Abstract Floral symmetry has figured prominently in the study of both pollination biology and animal behavior. However, a confusion of terminology and the diffuse nature of the literature has limited our understanding of the role that this basic characteristic of flower form has played in plant-pollinator interactions. Here, we first contribute a classification scheme for floral symmetry that we hope will resolve some of the confusion resulting from the inconsistent application of terms. Next, we present a short review of the distribution of floral forms in angiosperm families. Finally, we provide a list of hypotheses and, when available, supporting evidence for the causes of the evolution of floral symmetry.