{
  "abstract": "Background and Aims: Floral scent is a primary driver of pollinator attraction and reproductive isolation in deceptive orchids. Yet, little is known about the variation and evolution of scent in a phylogenetic framework and how pollination affects the biosynthesis and emission of scents in these lineages. This study characterizes scent diversity across Cypripedium, a genus of deceptive orchids, examines phylogenetic constraints, and investigates post-pollination effects on scent composition in one of the species. Methods: Floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were sampled from 31 Cypripedium taxa using dynamic headspace techniques, and analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Uni- and multivariate methods were used to analyse intra- and interspecific scent variation and test for phylogenetic signal in floral scent. Post-pollination effects on scent composition were experimentally tested in C. henryi using four pollination treatments, combined with RNA-seq analyses of floral tissues to examine transcriptional responses in VOC biosynthetic pathways. Key results: We detected 258 floral VOCs, revealing a high chemical diversity dominated by terpenoids, aliphatics, and aromatic compounds. Floral scent composition was highly species-specific, and closely related taxa often shared only few compounds. Scent composition differed among pollination groups, but these groups explained only a limited proportion of overall scent variation. We detected a significant but weak phylogenetic signal, suggesting limited evolutionary constraint in floral scent. Pollination had limited effect on C. henryis floral scent and volatile biosynthesis gene expression, despite a significant decrease in total scent emission after pollinium deposition. Transcriptional changes predominantly occurred in the petals rather than the labellum and staminode. Conclusion: Floral scent evolution in Cypripedium is characterized by high chemical diversity, and a weak phylogenetic constraint, consistent with variable selection in food-deceptive systems. The pollination study further suggests the absence of a strong, directed post-pollination effect on the floral scent of C. henryi. Keywords: Cypripedium; deceptive pollination; floral scent; volatile organic compounds (VOCs); phylogenetic signal; linalool; post-pollination effects; transcriptome profiles; differential gene expression; floral organs",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB)"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J.-B. Chazalon"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Pfanzelt"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Siadjeu"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Y. Hu"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Kotagal"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Doetterl"
    },
    {
      "name": "G. Kadereit"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ws3fy9ggejqn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.11.04.760698",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.04.760698v1.full",
  "id": "9ws3fy9ggejqn",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.04.760698v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "plant biology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.04.760698v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-04",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ws3fy9ggejqn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T00:22:03Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.11.04.760698",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.11.04.760698v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:plant biology",
      "subfield": "plant-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Floral scent diversity and evolution in deceptive Cypripedium, and post-pollination effects on floral scent and its biosynthesis in C. henryi",
  "title_text": "Floral scent diversity and evolution in deceptive Cypripedium, and post-pollination effects on floral scent and its biosynthesis in C. henryi",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T00:21:45Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9ws3fy9ggejqn",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}