Topic: Snapdragons take the evolutionary high-road

[Orstio]

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Roses are red, violets are blue, but why aren't snapdragons orange? Norwich scientists from the John Innes Centre (JIC) and the University of East Anglia (UEA) in collaboration with the Université Paul Sabatier (Toulouse, France) have developed a pioneering computer modelling technique that traces the evolutionary paths underlying flower colour variation in the model plant snapdragon (Antirrhinum).Their research, funded by the BBSRC and published today in the journal Science, shows how flower colour diversity has evolved in natural populations of these plants in the Pyrenees.

Bees that pollinate snapdragons prefer magenta or yellow coloured flowers to flower colours such as orange. (Photo taken by. . .

[Astronuc]

We see a preference of butterflies and bees for particular flowers, and it seems certain insect species prefer certain flowers, possibly based on color, but we also wonder about scent/odor/smell.

We have 6 or 7 varieties of buddleia (butterfly plants) and each variety has a different colour, varying from a bluish purple to more of a magenta or reddish purple.  I'll have to write a description of each and record our observations on butterfly/bee/hummingbird moth activity.

We also have a large variety of other flowers, coneflower and mums, and I'll try to get a list together.  The mums are yellow/orange, and there are usually lots bees (different species) on the mums.