Is this a hermaphrodite Spruce Flower?
The species in question is Picea abies, all on the same Tree. Is this common, Rare or even unheard of (Cuz I never heard of it)?
How did this mutation even happen? Is Spruce now Evolving a new way to be more efficient at pollinating?
not evolving
No. The main reason being Picea isn’t in the flowering plants and so, by definition, cannot have flowers.
I’m not super familiar with the biology of spruces, but I know pines, which are closely related, typically have both male and female cones (I guess the male structures are called cones as well?) on the same plant. The third photo to me looks like probably just a deformed female cone
Developmental deformities can happen. What came to my mind is corn. Normally, corn has tassels (male flowers) and ears (female flowers); but occasionally, I find a corn plant where the base of the tassel is a small ear. Not evolving toward that, because it is not advantageous – the ear at the base of the tassel is not protected by husks and is likely to be eaten by birds, nor would humans (the primary dispersal vector for corn) choose it over normal corn.
Confused? what you mean
@davidp_newton Is it a hermaphrodite Spruce Cone?
Maybe… That could be a possibility altho the yellow color is not present in the female cones & only in the male ones.
Ah yes (Also notice it in Tripsacum x Zea Hybrids (Perhaps ancient mechanism recombine again)?. I wonder if dis-advantageous change is no longer evolution? Shouldn’t it be dis-advantageous evolution (Or by Definition Evolution weeds out all poor survivors)?
Also how rare are deformities in Gymnosperms or Spruces?
I think that would be difficult to assess. Certainly as a “citizen scientist” like me. The trees are tall so until wind whips or other damage causes them to ground, unseen.
