Organism
Lithophragma Plant
TL;DR
Part of geographic mosaic co-evolution with Greya moths.
Part of geographic mosaic co-evolution with Greya moths. In some populations, plants benefit from moth pollination; in others, moths parasitize without providing pollination benefit. Plants in parasitic populations evolve defenses (reduced rewards to moths, thicker seed coats), while plants in mutualistic populations evolve traits that attract moths (more nectar, larger flowers).
Notable Traits of Lithophragma Plant
- Geographic variation in defensive traits
- Local adaptation to mutualistic vs. parasitic moth populations