THE CHEMICAL SHIFT OF NECTAR SUGAR PROFILE

   Plants and insects coevolved for several traits. One of this trait is the composition of floral nectar that was adapted to pollinator’s preference along the evolutionary timescale. The pollination drop of ambophilous gymnosperms (i.e. gymnosperms that are pollinated both by wind and insects) can be considered an ecological “antecedent” of floral nectar

(see our paper at https://academic.oup.com/aob/article/104/2/205/105502).

Gymnosperm pollination drops are rich in glucose and fructose whilst most of the floral nectar of angiosperms are rich in sucrose. Speculating why angiosperms evolved this chemical shift in the sugar profile of their floral nectar will open new windows of research…