Page 83 - The Miracle In The Seed

Seed Dispersal

The spindle tree (Euonymus sp.) produces
fruits of an interesting appearance. When
these fruits split open, they are very att-
ractive to birds: the center is white,
the seeds are black, and the aril sur-
rounding the fruit is bright orange.
This tricolor appearance attracts a
wide variety of animal species to
the spindle tree.
The seeds of the acacia, native to
Australia, are dispersed thanks to their
nutrient-rich arils that can be red, brown or white and
either long or short, according to the variety. The short
white or brown ones provide food for ants, which carry
the nutritious arils to their nests. On the way, the black
seeds sometimes get separated from the aril and fall off. But
a lot of seeds are brought to the underground nests, which are at the
ideal depth for germination.

The seeds of the acacia tree are covered in
a kind of nutritious coating called an aril,
which is eaten by animals, allowing the
seeds to germinate.