Pappus phenotypes and flight performance across evolutionary history in the daisy family

Diversity in pappus shapes and size in Asteraceae suggests an adaptive response to dispersion challenges adjusting diaspores to optimal phenotypic configurations. Here, by analysing the relationship among pappus-cypsela size relationships, flight performance and pappus types in an evolutionary context, we evaluate the role of natural selection acting on the evolution of diaspore configuration at a macro-ecological scale in the daisy family.

To link pappus-cypsela size relationships with flight performance we collected published data on these traits from 82 species. This allowed us to translate morphometric traits in flight performance for 150 species represented in a fully resolved backbone phylogeny of the daisy family. Through ancestral reconstructions and evolutionary model selection, we assessed whether flight performance was associated with and constrained by different pappus types. Additionally, we evaluated, through phylogenetic regressions, whether species with different pappus types exhibited evolutionary allometric pappus-cypsela size relationships.

The setose pappus type had the highest flight performances and represented the most probable ancestral state in the family. Stepwise changes in pappus types independently led from setose to multiple instances of pappus loss with associated reduction in flight performance. Flight performance evolution was best modelled as constrained by five adaptive regimes represented by specific pappus types which correspond to specific optimal diaspore configurations that are distinct in pappus-cypsela allometric relationships.

Evolutionary modelling suggests natural selection as the main factor of diaspore configuration changes which proceeded towards five optima, often overcoming constraints imposed by allometric relationships and favouring evolution in certain directions. With the perspective that natural selection is the main process driving the observed patterns, various biotic and abiotic are suggested as principal drivers of transitions in diaspore configurations along space and time in the daisy family history. The results also allow discussion of evolutionary changes in a historical context.