Seed Dispersal
There’s a lovely article on BBC Nature today about how ants sow the seeds of the Cape. Researchers have been investigating the Fynbos habitat of the Cape region of South Africa and the climatically similar south west of Western Australia. These biodiversity hotspots have a large proportion of plants that are myrmecochorous – their seeds are dispersed by ants.
Apparently this is an adaptation to poor soils. Rather than shed its seeds into infertile ground, some plants develop seeds with an elaiosome – a fleshy bit designed to attract ants. The ants collect the seeds and take them back to their nest. They eat the elaiosome and discard the seed. The soil in and around the ant nest is enriched by their poo, and the seeds gets a nice rich soil to grow in.
The photo above is of some seeds that I saw being prepared for storage at the Millennium Seed Bank. If I remember correctly (I would have to dig out my notes to check), those colourful seeds on the left have elaiosomes to attract ants.
Discussing it with Rhizowen this morning, I was told that borage seeds also have elaiosomes. I duly tripped out into the garden to have a look at my borage plants, but they have only recently started flowering, and no seed pods have formed yet. My packet of borage seeds is in Malvern, so I can’t even tip those out and have a look
Read more on theunconventionalgardener.com
