The Deceptive Daisy's Ingenious Trick to Attract Pollinators.

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Source: Phys.org
The Deceptive Daisy's Ingenious Trick to Attract Pollinators.
Photo: Phys.org
TL;DR

Researchers have identified three sets of genes involved in building the fake fly on the daisy's petals. The "iron moving" genes add iron to the petal's normally reddish-purple pigments, changing the color to a more fly-like blue-green. The root hair genes make hairs expand on the petal to give texture. And the third set of genes make the fake flies appear in apparently random positions on the petals. The daisy's petals give it an evolutionary advantage, by attracting more male flies to pollinate it.

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