Flowers that position their pollen-producing and pollen-receiving parts in complex 3D arrangements attract more successful cross-pollination — but only when the right specialist pollinators are present. Simpler 1D flower arrangements proved more reliably consistent across different pollinator communities.
1
3D-heterostylous Linum suffruticosum achieved higher legitimate pollen transfer than 1D-heterostylous L. tenue, but only in populations dominated by specialist Usia bee flies (family Bombyliidae).
2
L. tenue showed consistently moderate legitimate pollen deposition and high reciprocity across all six populations regardless of pollinator community composition, suggesting independence from pollinator assemblage.
3
Frequent spontaneous self-pollination in L. tenue may reduce legitimate cross-pollination on its stigmas, potentially threatening the long-term stability of its two-morph polymorphism.
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