Shi-Xiao Luo, Shu-Miaw Chaw, Dianxiang Zhang, and Susanne S. Renner. 2010 American Journal of Botany 97(7): 1220–1228

KEY RESULTS: At least two Chinese species of Illicium are exclusively pollinated by gall midges that use the flowers as brood sites (not for pollen feeding). Continuous monitoring of flower temperatures revealed that the highest temperatures were attained after the flowers ’ sexual functions were over, and experiments showed that post-anthetic warming benefited larval development, not fruit development. Midge larvae in flowers with trimmed tepals (and hence a lower temperature) died, but fruit set ratios remained unchanged. Based on the DNA phylogeny, gall midge pollination evolved from general fl y/beetle pollination several times in Schisandraceae, with some species adapted to flower-breeding midges, others to pollen-feeding midges.