Observations in 1940 on the dissemination by ants of the seeds of Trillium grandiflorum
Observations in 1940 on the dissemination by ants of the seeds of Trillium grandiflorum
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1940年对蚂蚁传播延龄草种子的观察
DOI：
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发表时间：
1940
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通讯作者：
B. Gates
中科院分区：
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作者：
B. Gates
延龄草的果实是三细胞的，近球形，长约半英寸，含有许多种子。成熟时，果实在花萼处分离，落地而不张开，但种子暴露在被壳的底部，在那里它被分离。种子相对较大，容易被看到，暴露在空气中时，颜色会发生变化，从白色或浅棕色到更深的红棕色。从果实中取出后，卵形种子似乎被一种粘性或胶状物质所覆盖，这些物质将会干燥。显然，湿气可以恢复这种粘性。(粘性或胶状的性质表明，可能通过与动物的粘连来适应种子的分散。)种脐上有一个海绵状的种皮，大约是种子体积的四分之一。类似的肉质物质形成了水果的中轴。当胶囊完全空的时候，它是薄的，像纸一样。显然，这种植物没有播撒种子的机械手段。对桔梗种子萌发进行了研究。我们收到了一份所有可以从我们工厂采购的新鲜种子的请求。1939年7月13日(马萨诸塞州伍斯特)，第一批水果成熟了，很容易落入手中，当晚收获了四个水果。第二天早上，许多水果已经成熟，掉到了地上。令人惊讶的是，经过检查，其中没有一颗种子还在里面；经过长时间的寻找，地面上也找不到一颗种子。对空胶囊的检查显示，它们已经被彻底清理干净，只剩下薄薄的纸质外壳。这些粘稠的种子怎么会在这么短的时间内从胶囊和地面上完全消失，这一点还远不明显。当时没有下雨。第二天，收获了更多成熟的果实；在植物下面看到了更多空的胶囊，完全没有种子。当时又叫，前一天，两个空胶囊，每个胶囊里装着一只黑蚂蚁。立刻，人们怀疑蚂蚁和种子的消失之间存在联系。进行了一次测试。一只新收获的水果被提供给在地上爬行的一只黑蚂蚁(物种不明)。带着一副熟悉的样子，她立刻把水果放在刚刚露出的一端。几秒钟内，她挖出了一颗种子，把它放到了下巴上，
The fruit of Trillium is three-celled, subglobose, varying around one-half inch in long diameter and contains numerous seeds. When ripe, separating at the calyx, the fruit falls to the ground without opening, but seeds are exposed at the base of the capsule where it is detached. The seeds are relatively large, easily seen, and change in color, on exposure to the air, from a whitish or light brown to a darker, reddish brown. On removal from the fruit, the ovate seeds appear to be coated with a viscous or gelatinous substance, which will dry. Moisture apparently revives this viscosity. (The viscous or gelatin ous quality suggests that there may be an adaptation for seed-dis persal by means of adhesion to animals.) At the hilum is a spongy caruncle, roughly one-fourth the bulk of the seed. Similar fleshy material forms the axis of the fruit. The capsule when quite empty is thin and papery. Apparently, the plant has no mechanical means of scattering its seeds. For experimentation on the germination of seeds of T. grandiflorum Salisb. we had received a request for all of the fresh seeds which could be procured from our plants. The first fruits ripened, falling readily into the hand, on July 13, 1939 (Worcester, Mass.), four fruits being collected that evening. The next morning a number of fruits had ripened and had fallen to the ground. Surprisingly, on examination not one of these had a seed remaining in it; after a prolonged search, not a seed could be found on the ground. Examination of empty capsules revealed that they had been thoroughly cleaned out, leaving only the thin, papery shell. It was far from apparent how these viscous seeds could have completely disappeared from the capsules and the ground in such a short time. There had been no rain. The next day more ripened fruits were collected; more emptied capsules were seen beneath the plants, all quite devoid of seeds. It was re called then, that on the previous day, two empty capsules each con tained a black ant. Instantly, a relationship between ants and the disappearance of the seeds was suspected. A test was made. A freshly harvested fruit was offered to a black ant (species undetermined) crawling on the ground. With apparent familiarity, she at once mounted the fruit, at the freshly-exposed end. Within a few seconds she dug out a seed, adjusted it in her mandibles,