Correlation between the Color, Size and Shape of Israeli Crucifer Flowers and Relationships to Pollinators

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Abstract
In this study we tested whether flower color is related to structural flower traits. An analysis of 89 crucifer species in Israel shows a close connection between flower color and several other flower traits. Violet flowers are large (mean corolla diameter of 6.7 .+-. 3.26 mm) and have a tube. Yellow flowers are smaller (3.53 .+-. 2.0 mm) and open without a tube. White flowers are similar to the yellow flowers but smaller (2.08 .+-. 1.2 mm). In general, the pollinators of violet flowers are large long-tongued bees, and the pollinators of yellow and white flowers are small short-tongued bees and flies. We conclude that color as a communicative flower trait is highly correlated with the mode of pollination in the Israeli crucifers. We discuss the importance of two opposing selective pressures that effect flower traits, namely an initial flower preference of different pollinators which selects for uniformity, and the need to increase intraspecific pollen transfer by constant pollinators which selects for divergence.