Research PollinationBlackwell Publishing Ltd and plant defence traits co-vary in Western Australian Hakeas Mick E. Hanley1,2, Byron B. Lamont2 and W. Scott Armbruster3 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK; 2Centre for Ecosystem Diversity and Dynamics, Department of Environmental Biology, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia; 3School of Biological Science, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK Summary Author for correspondence: • Despite the conflicting demands imposed by mutualistic (pollination) and antag- Mick Hanley onistic (florivory) processes, the relative importance of the key selective pressures + Tel: 44 01752 238319 influencing floral evolution are not readily apparent. In this study we quantified Fax: +44 01752 232970 Hakea Email:
[email protected] a range of floral and foliar traits within the genus to investigate how pollinator and herbivore selection might influence the evolution of floral attraction and Received: 25 September 2008 defence attributes. Accepted: 30 October 2008 • Plant material was collected from populations of 51 Australian Hakea species native to southwestern Australia, and measurements were taken of foliage and New Phytologist (2009) 182: 251–260 inflorescence morphology, inflorescence colour and floral chemical defence. Hakeas © The Authors (2008). Journal compilation © New Phytologist (2008) doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02709.x were separated into bird- vs insect-pollinated species on the basis of stigma–nectary distance. Key words: chemical defence, • Our results show how the evolution of insect vs bird pollination is closely linked cyanogenesis, florivory, Hakea, pollination to whether inflorescences are protected by physical (leaf spines, dense foliage) syndrome, Proteaceae, spinescence, or chemical (floral cyanide) defences, respectively.