# Phylogenomics reveals the evolution of floral traits associated with pollinators and pollinator–prey conflict within the carnivorous Pinguicula subgenus Temnoceras

## TL;DR

This study uses genome data to explore how pollination and carnivory traits evolved in the Pinguicula subgenus Temnoceras, revealing distinct patterns linked to pollinator types and reduced photosynthesis.

## Contribution

The study provides a genome-scale phylogeny of Pinguicula Temnoceras and identifies evolutionary correlations between pollination traits and carnivory adaptations.

## Key findings

- Six monophyletic clades were identified in Temnoceras, refining species classification.
- Floral traits cluster by pollinator type, with fly-pollinated species showing unique morphological features.
- Loss of ndh genes suggests reduced reliance on photosynthesis in carnivorous species.

## Abstract

The carnivorous plant genus Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) exhibits remarkable floral diversity associated with pollination, particularly in the largest subgenus Temnoceras, which spans Mexico and Central America. Despite this diversity, the relationships between species and the evolution of key floral traits remain unresolved. Here, we employed whole‐genome sequencing to reconstruct a robust phylogeny and examine the evolution of pollination syndromes and potential pollinator–prey conflicts.

We generated nuclear and plastid genomic data for 32 Pinguicula species. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using 2189 BUSCO loci analyzed through ASTRAL. Morphological traits associated with pollination and carnivory were assessed with ancestral state reconstruction, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic linear models. Loss and pseudogenization of ndh genes implicated in potential shifts in trophic strategies were evaluated in both nuclear and plastid genomes.

Our genome‐scale phylogeny resolved six monophyletic clades within Temnoceras, refining infrageneric classification. Most ndh genes are either lost or pseudogenized across both genomic compartments. Floral morphology strongly clusters by pollinator type, with fly‐pollinated species forming a distinct clade characterized by cylindrical spurs and tubes. Ancestral reconstructions indicate multiple independent transitions in spur and tube morphology. Phylogenetic linear modeling revealed a significant evolutionary correlation between scape length and carnivorous leaf area, suggesting that spatial separation may represent an adaptive response to mitigate pollinator–prey conflict.

This study provides a refined phylogenetic framework for Pinguicula subgenus Temnoceras and highlights how pollinator specialization and carnivory‐related traits contribute to floral evolution.The repeated loss of ndh genes implies relaxed selective pressure on photosynthesis‐related pathways in these carnivorous species.