Autumn Plant Sciences Lectures – Professor Beverley Glover, Director of the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden A trick of the light? Evolution and floral diversity

Abstract: Cambridge University Botanic Garden has played a significant role in the history of botanical science. Some of the recent research at the Garden has focused on the optical effects of the petal surface. This is a particularly important topic because flowers and the animals that pollinate them interact at the petal surface, so this tissue underpins an interaction that is vital in both crop production and the understanding of patterns of biodiversity. The majority of petal morphologies will act to support certain plant/pollinator interactions but not others, leading to greater reproductive isolation and speciation within the flowering plants. I will present recent work on the nanoscale properties of the petal surface, taking molecular developmental, evolutionary and pollinator behavioural perspectives.