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The male fitness pathway, from pollen production to ovule fertilization, is thought to strongly influence reproductive trait evolution in animal-pollinated plants. This pathway is characterized by multiple avenues of pollen loss which may lead to reductions in male fitness. However, empirical data on the mechanistic processes leading to pollen loss during transport are limited, and we therefore lack a comprehensive understanding of how male fitness is influenced by each step in the pollination process.

This review assesses the history of studying male function in plants and identifies critical gaps in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of pollen transport. We explore male reproductive function along the steps of the pathway to paternity and discuss evolutionary options to overcome barriers to siring success. In particular, we present a newly emerging …