A century of research on heterostylous plants has passed since the
publication of Charles Darwin's book "The Different Forms of Flowers on
Plants of the Same Species" in 1877 summarizing his extensive
observations and experiments on these complex breeding systems involving
genetic polymorphisms of floral sex organs. Since then heterostylous
plants have provided a rich source of material for evolutionary
biologists and today they represent one of the classic research
paradigms for approaches to the study of evolution and adaptation. The
present book is the first modern and comprehensive accont of the
subject. In 10 chapters it is concerned with the evolution, genetics,
development, morphology, and adaptive significance of heterostyly. Broad
syntheses of research on heterostyly as well as new theoretical ideas
and experimental data are included.