Ramesha, BTYetish, MDRavikanth, GGaneshaiah, KNGhazoul, JabouryShaanker, R Uma2015-08-072015-08-072011-06Ramesha BT, Yetish MD, Ravikanth G, Ganeshaiah KN, Ghazoul Jaboury, Shaanker R Uma. Stylish lengths: Mate choice in flowers. Journal of Biosciences. 2011 Jun; 36(2): 229-234.http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/161538The styles of flowers may represent an arena for pollen competition in the race to fertilize ovules. Accordingly, selection should favour a longer ‘race’ to better discriminate among variable pollen by increasing style length. Sampling across a taxonomically diverse range of wild and outcrossed species, we found that the distribution of style lengths within plants were skewed towards longer styles, as predicted. In self-pollinated domesticated species, where discrimination among pollen is less important, we found no such pattern. We conclude that style length is under directional selection towards longer styles as a mechanism for mate choice among pollen of variable quality.enFlowersmate choiceoutcrossedskewnessstyle lengthsArticle