Verne Grant and evolutionary studies of Aquilegia

One of Verne Grant's lasting contributions to plant evolutionary biology has been the recognition that differences between plants in floral characters can have a dramatic impact on both pollinator visitation and pollen transfer and thus affect reproductive isolation between nascent plant species (collectively, floral isolation). Here we review some of the concepts and findings from Grant's work on floral isolation, particularly with respect to the genus Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae). It has now been over 50 yr since Grant first published on the role of floral isolation on reproductive isolation and speciation in Aquilegia and we compare and contrast his findings with our own work on this genus. We find that the data largely support Grant's findings and that Aquilegia will continue to offer great opportunities to learn about the processes of adaptation and speciation.