Awesome!!!!
Quote:
Just because there are fewer specimens to choose from, flowers with "good" shapes are much fewer in numbers than colors with many more specimens to choose from.
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That's really easy to digest, and a great way to explain part of it.
I'd think there might be a loose connection between color and shape in a few instances. There are pollinators that a. are attracted to only certain colors and b. can only access nectar in certain flower shapes due to their respective beak or probiscus lengths/shapes.
Perhaps those individuals do require a specific shape and color combination.
(I'm reminded of a species of hummingbird where the females and males pollinate different flowers because their beaks are gender-specific. But that just refers to shape.)