花部特征的适应与分化被认为是传粉者介导的选择所致。大多数植物的单花在枝顶开放或聚集成花序，突出花在枝叶之外，以吸引传粉者或方便其进入，将花粉传递出去。蜘蛛抱蛋属是单子叶植物中的一个大属，物种分化强烈，但其大多数物种在地表开花，其隐秘花朵的适应意义有待研究。在前期开展了地上开花的长药蜘蛛抱蛋传粉系统的基础上，本项目拟选择地表开花的粗丝蜘蛛抱蛋和长瓣蜘蛛抱蛋为主要研究对象，开展传粉生态学研究。定量分析两种植物不同居群的传粉者类型、访问频率及传粉效率，来验证地表开花植物的五种可能传粉系统假说:地面爬行的无脊椎动物传粉、产卵地欺骗传粉、交配场所欺骗传粉、产卵地传粉和捕食者猎食猎物传粉。通过分析花部特征、花色的反射光谱、花挥发物等花部信号与传粉者类型，探讨蜘蛛抱蛋属植物为何产生隐秘的花朵？项目不仅可加深对花部特征进化的认识，有望在蜘蛛抱蛋属发现新的传粉系统，而且为阐明该属的分化和保护奠定基础。

Adaptation and diversification of floral traits have been thought to be moulded by pollinator mediated selection. Flowers of most plant species appear on the terminal, or display in various types of inflorescences which protrude out of branches and leaves, enhancing floral attractiveness to pollinators who transfer pollen from one plant to others. Aspidistra (Asparagaceae), containing more than 160 species, is one of the largest genera in monocots. Flowers of most Aspidistra species grow on the ground and are even buried in leaf litter, inaccessible to many potential pollinators such as bees. Species in this genus with emerged or cryptic flowers provide a model system to study why flowers tend to hide themselves from the most pollinators. To understand the adaptive strategy of these cryptic flowers, in this proposal we plan to conduct a comparative studies of pollination ecology in two Aspidistra species (A. crassifila and A. longipetala) whose flowers open on the ground usually under the leaf litter, based on our previous studies in A. dolichanthera which flowers grow high above ground without leaf litter covering. We plan to examine five potential hypotheses for these cryptic flowers, i.e., pollination by small invertebrates on the ground, brood-site deception pollination, copulation-site deception pollination, brood-site pollination and predator-hunting-prey pollination, through documenting pollinator types, visit frequencies, and pollination efficiency across populations under different habitats. To understand why these Aspidistra species tend to hide their flowers, we will quantitatively measure floral signals such as floral characteristics, light reflectance spectrum and volatile compounds and pollinator attractants. Given that little is known about its pollination systems in Aspidistra, we are expecting to find new pollination systems. This project could not only help us understand the evolution of various floral traits, but also provide insights into the species diversification in Aspidistra and conservation strategies that should be taken under the present circumstances.