Pollination systems of angraecoid orchids: from Darwin to the present day.
Résumé
For the celebration of the bicentenary of Charles Darwin's birth and the sesquicentennial of the publication of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, the world is re-exploring the impact of Darwin and Darwinian theory of evolution on science and society. However, it is not possible to commemorate Darwin’s legacy without speaking of orchids, which took a central place in his main achievements, and for which Darwin devoted admiration and lifetimes. Here we present an overview of the pollination systems involved in the angraecoid orchids, the famous long-spurred Malagasy species which have contributed, through Darwin’s meticulous observations and innovative reasoning, to bring the orchid family into the heart of evolutionary research on plant-pollinator interactions.