Review BlackwellOxford,NPHNew0028-646X1469-8137©293710.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02937.xJune0546???556???ResearchXX The 2009Phytologist Authors UK Review Publishing (2009). Ltd Journal compilation © New Phytologist (2009) Research reviewXX Evolutionary pathways to self- fertilization in a tristylous plant species Author for correspondence: Spencer C. H. Barrett, Rob W. Ness and Mario Vallejo-Marín Spencer C. H. Barrett Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, Tel: +1 416 978 5603 Email:
[email protected] Ontario, Canada, M5S 3B2 Received: 23 April 2009 Accepted: 20 May 2009 Summary New Phytologist (2009) 183: 546–556 Evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing occur commonly in heterostylous doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02937.x genera. The morphological polymorphisms that characterize heterostyly provide opportunities for different pathways for selfing to evolve. Here, we investigate the Key words: developmental instability, origins and pathways by which selfing has evolved in tristylous Eichhornia paniculata Eichhornia, herkogamy, heterostyly, multiple by providing new evidence based on morphology, DNA sequences and genetic analysis. origins, pathways to self-fertilization. The primary pathway from outcrossing to selfing involves the stochastic loss of the short-styled morph (S-morph) from trimorphic populations, followed by the spread of selfing variants of the mid-styled morph (M-morph). However, the discovery of selfing variants of the long-styled morph (L-morph) in Central America indicates a secondary pathway and distinct origin for selfing. Comparisons of multi-locus nucleo- tide sequences from 27 populations sampled from throughout the geographical range suggest multiple transitions to selfing. Genetic analysis of selfing variants of the L- and M-morphs demonstrates recessive control of the loss of herkogamy, although the number of factors appears to differ between the forms.