Columbines have lots of colors, but in recent decades their range of colors has increased dramatically. A large part of this is probably because either natural pollinators (bugs) or artificial pollinators (humans), or both, prefer them to have vivid and unusual colors.
Columbine genetic lines are complex due to frequent cross-pollination - not only do humans constantly cross-breed them in hopes of getting new colors, but columbines are self-seeding and cross readily with other variants of their species. Unusually, several different columbine genetic lines display a simultaneous loss of the ability to create the blue-red anthocyanin range. This manifests as yelloe or white flowers. Since a simultaneous occurrence like this across subspecies lines is very unusual, researchers have looked for some other reason why it might be desirable for the plant to lose this ability.
They found that a gene elsewhere in the plant's genetic structure is interfering with the genes for anthocyanin synthesis - that selecting for one trait reduces the incidence of the other trait. The researchers suspect that this other trait is one which protects the plant from physical and environmental damage. Therefore a colorless columbine may be a sturdier columbine.
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Date: 2006-12-22 07:59 pm (UTC)Columbines have lots of colors, but in recent decades their range of colors has increased dramatically. A large part of this is probably because either natural pollinators (bugs) or artificial pollinators (humans), or both, prefer them to have vivid and unusual colors.
Columbine genetic lines are complex due to frequent cross-pollination - not only do humans constantly cross-breed them in hopes of getting new colors, but columbines are self-seeding and cross readily with other variants of their species. Unusually, several different columbine genetic lines display a simultaneous loss of the ability to create the blue-red anthocyanin range. This manifests as yelloe or white flowers. Since a simultaneous occurrence like this across subspecies lines is very unusual, researchers have looked for some other reason why it might be desirable for the plant to lose this ability.
They found that a gene elsewhere in the plant's genetic structure is interfering with the genes for anthocyanin synthesis - that selecting for one trait reduces the incidence of the other trait. The researchers suspect that this other trait is one which protects the plant from physical and environmental damage. Therefore a colorless columbine may be a sturdier columbine.