How do plant seeds spread
Let's talk about how plant seeds spread and take stock of four methods of seed dispersal in the topic of flowers and plants. Let's take a look together.
Every form of life propagates its offspring in its own way. Cows and horses have legs, birds have wings, and as immobile plants, nature has endowed them with special seed dispersal methods. So what are the methods by which plants disperse their seeds? Let's take a look at these seed dispersal methods of plants!
Animal Dispersal
Plants that rely on animals to disperse seeds include Xanthium, Tribulus, Bidens, Vitis thunbergii, pine, cherry, pine nuts, chestnuts, etc. For example, the seeds of Bidens and Xanthium have spines and barbs on the outside, which will stick to the fur of animals upon slight contact. Fruits of plants like cherries and wild grapes are mostly fleshy, and after being eaten by birds, the seeds are randomly excreted everywhere through their digestive tracts. Chestnuts and pine nuts are carried home and stored by squirrels, some of which are eaten, and the rest will germinate the following year.
Wind Dispersal
Plants that rely on wind to disperse seeds include dandelions, willows, poplars, maples, etc. These plant seeds are usually light and can float in the air, and a gentle breeze can carry them to the ends of the earth. Some plant seeds also have special structures that are suitable for wind-assisted flight, such as the fine down on cotton and willow seeds, the umbrella-like pappus on dandelion fruits, and the winged structures on the seeds of pines, maples, and elms.
Water Dispersal
Plants growing in or near water often use water to disperse their seeds, such as coconut trees and water lilies. When the fruit of the coconut tree matures, its hard shell acts like a small boat floating in the sea until it is washed ashore by the waves, where it grows into a new coconut tree. The fruits of water lilies mature and fall into the water, rotting slowly, and the seeds with spongy outer coverings float on the surface, moving with the waves before eventually sinking to the bottom to take root and grow.
Explosive Dispersal
Explosive dispersal means shooting seeds out like bullets. Common examples include oilseed rape, mustard, peas, soybeans, mung beans, oxalis, and Impatiens. These plants have seeds that, after maturing, have dry and hard fruit skins that often "pop" and burst under the scorching sun, shooting the seeds far away like bullets fired from a gun. Among the most interesting is a plant called "squirting cucumber," which, when mature, will shed its fruit upon slight contact and instantly shoot the seeds out from the top.
The above is an introduction to how plant seeds spread and a detailed account of the four methods of seed dispersal. Do you understand now?