Winged seeds
by The blog at woodlands.co.uk, 13 November, 2019, 6 comments
What do the seeds of ash, sycamore and maple trees have in common? They all are enclosed in a wing-like structure that helps them disperse - away from the parent plant and indeed each other. Wind dispersal is also known as anemochory. Effective fruit / seed dispersal provides a tree's offspring with the chance to colonise a new area, and reduces competition for resources with their parent and siblings; it also reduces the likelihood of infection with pests and pathogens.
A single Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) can produce thousands of fruits (also known as keys) in large clusters attached to the tips of its branches. Read more...
