Flower surface is warmer in center than at edges in alpine plants: evidence from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Although flower temperature plays an important role in plant reproduction, how it varies spatially on the flower surface is unclear, especially in alpine plants. To characterize spatial variation in flower surface temperature, we examined thermal images of flowers of 18 species along an altitudinal transect from 3200 to 4000 m on Lenglong Mountain on the north-eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The surface temperature varied considerably within a flower or floral unit in all plants under sunlight, and was about 1 ℃ with a maximum of 11 ℃ higher in the center than at the edges. Solar radiation and flower shape significantly affected the temperature range and standard deviation and the ratio of flower center to edge temperature. The spatial variability of temperature increased with flower size. Flowers in the Asteraceae had higher surface temperatures, greater spatial variability of temperature, and consistently higher and more stable temperatures in the center than at the edge. The ratio of flower center to edge temperature increased with altitude in most species. Heat build-up at the flower center is likely to be widespread in alpine plants; further studies are needed to explore its ecological and evolutional roles.