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Flower Closure In The Field Bindweed (Convolvulus Arvensis): A Field Test Of The Pollination Hypothesis, Pavol Prokop, Dominika Neupauerova

Turkish Journal of Botany

Although the behavioral plasticity of flower traits has received considerable attention, its adaptive value is not thoroughly understood. We experimentally examined flower opening/closure in field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), a species with short flower persistence (1 day) in which adaptive responses to pollination were not previously expected. In line with the pollination hypothesis we suggested that flower exposure in this species should respond to pollination. More specifically, we predicted that flower closure in the pollinated flowers would be quicker than that in unpollinated flowers. As predicted, the unpollinated flowers were open for a longer time than the pollinated flowers. There was …