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Floral fluorescence effect

2005; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 437; Issue: 7057 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/437334a

1476-4687

Fernando Gandía‐Herrero, Francisco García‐Carmona, Josefa Escribano,

Plant Diversity and Evolution

Fluorescence is an unusual means of communication in the living world: it can be an important signal in mate choice for budgerigars and mantis shrimps, but little else. Work on the plant Mirabilis jalapa (also called ‘four o'clock’ or ‘marvel of Peru’), which has brightly coloured flowers that open at night, suggests that some pollinators can be added to that list. Fluorescence emitted by one pigment, a yellow betaxanthin, is absorbed by a violet betacyanin to create a contrasting fluorescent pattern on the flower's petals. The way flowers appear to insects is crucial for pollination1,2,3. Here we describe an internal light-filtering effect in the flowers of Mirabilis jalapa, in which the visible fluorescence emitted by one pigment, a yellow betaxanthin, is absorbed by another, a violet betacyanin, to create a contrasting fluorescent pattern on the flower's petals. This finding opens up new possibilities for pollinator perception as fluorescence has not previously been considered as a potential signal in flowers.