Detailed developmental study by Kuzoff and Hufford has shown that apparent reversals from epigyny to hypogyny in Lithophragma involve allometric growth of the portion of the ovary above perianth insertion. The significance of this mode of evolution of ovary position in angiosperms generally is not known. Recent work by Soltis and colleagues has uncovered unexpected phylogenetic relationships. I have sequenced 26S rDNA to further resolve and support these relationships. I am using the resulting phylogeny to study the evolution of ovary position, which varies greatly among the included families.
Preliminary results indicate the first documented reversals from epigyny to true hypogyny .
Microevolutionary studies of plant reproduciton My primary areas of research are focused on the ecology and evolution of plant reproduction , especially the evolution of flowers. Using the family Asclepiadaceae , particularly Asclepias , as a model study system, I use a variety of approaches to study the evolution of flower structure and function. Pollinators play an important role in the evolution of flowers by being the agents mediating successful sexual reproduction. Thus, they strongly influence which flower morphologies have high fitness. I have studied the interaction between the milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa , and its pollinators ref .