Fragrant flowers and perceptive pollinators – floral scent and the evolution of tree diversity

In the tropics, floral odours are particularly important for attracting pollinators, and for creating and maintaining species boundaries.
We propose to study floral odours of species of Annonaceae in Bangladesh. Floral odours will be captured in the field and analysed using GC-MS. Volatile profiles will be examined against existing phylogenetic hypotheses to gain insight in the evolution of floral odours.