Dispersing Seeds

Dr. Mellichamp also talked about the way plants propagate. The organs that mean most to gardeners are the ovaries, which become fruit and the ovules which become seeds; but for those who save seeds, the entire process is pretty important. Dry fruits, such as nuts and dandelions, are disbursed by animals or wind. Fleshy fruits are disbursed almost entirely by animals. That includes us of course.

The wind borne seeds usually have to be saved by tying a bag or something over the seed head to catch the little seeds. It would not be too good to let the arugula choose where it wishes to be planted. The nuts are distributed by squirrels and birds. Dr. Mellichamp said that the acorns were designed by the willow oak tree to be distributed by blue jays. Those acorns are just the right size and shape to fit into the blue jays beak and on occasion fall out. The blue jay goes back to the tree to get another rather than look on the ground for the one that was dropped.

The dry seeds are usually in an inedible case so the seed is the only thing that is eaten. The fleshy fruits are usually in a case that serves as an enticement to some carrier to plant the seed somewhere. The single seed fruits, like cherries, are called drupes. The multi-seed fruits, like tomatoes, are called berries.

David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/