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Forms of seed dispersal in Cactaceae
Author(s) -
Bregman R.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
acta botanica neerlandica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0044-5983
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1988.tb02148.x
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , seed dispersal , hilum (anatomy) , biology , seed dispersal syndrome , taxon , genus , botany , ecology , anatomy , population , demography , sociology
SUMMARY A survey is given of the possible types of seed dispersal in Cactaceae. Anemochory presumably occurs in only one genus, hydrochory is less rare and zoochory is common. A number of taxa apparently lack any dispersal mechanism (atelechory). Birds are frequently involved in zoochorous dispersal. Hydrochorous taxa all have seeds with a large, hollow hilum cup, which increases the floating capacity of the seed. A clear difference in the floating capacity between seeds with a small hilum cup and others with a large one is demonstrated.