Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR
- Contents
- PLATES
- INTRODUCTION
- I Results of the visits of 1886 and 1897
- II The Expedition of April 24—27, 1906, to the Sunda Strait region and to Krakatau
- III The present composition of the Flora of Krakatau
- IV Biological conditions on Krakatau
- V The relative importance of the different agents of plant-dispersal in the colonisation of the Krakatau Islands
- VI Succession of plant-associations and the future character of the vegetation of Krakatau
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
V - The relative importance of the different agents of plant-dispersal in the colonisation of the Krakatau Islands
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2010
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- NOTE BY THE TRANSLATOR
- Contents
- PLATES
- INTRODUCTION
- I Results of the visits of 1886 and 1897
- II The Expedition of April 24—27, 1906, to the Sunda Strait region and to Krakatau
- III The present composition of the Flora of Krakatau
- IV Biological conditions on Krakatau
- V The relative importance of the different agents of plant-dispersal in the colonisation of the Krakatau Islands
- VI Succession of plant-associations and the future character of the vegetation of Krakatau
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Summary
Under the head of means of dispersal of fruits, seeds, and such vegetative organs as are specially adapted for reproduction, the same agencies were concerned in the colonisation of the Krakatau group, as in the colonisation of new islands in general; namely transport by birds, by wind, and by sea-currents.
The seeds and fruits of strand-plants, such as occur everywhere in the drift-zone of the coasts, are transported, almost without exception, by sea-currents. In the case of many of these their capacity for floating a considerable length of time in sea-water or in salt-solution without losing the power to germinate, has been demonstrated experimentally by Guppy, Schimper, and others. Floating capacity is not possessed in an equal degree by all strandplants. Some of them swim equally well whether freshly fallen from the tree or in a dry state, while others can be carried by water only after being dried. It is well known that such large drift-fruits as coconuts, the fruits of Gerbera Odollam, Nipa fruticans, Barringtonia, Calophyllum, and Terminalia Catappa possess the power of floating for a considerable time. Similarly small fruits and seeds float for long periods. In Guppy's experiments the seeds of Guettarda speciosa, Scaevola Koenigii, Morinda citrifolia, Tournefortia argentea and others among the strand-plants which occur on Krakatau, germinated after floating on sea-water for 40 to 53 days.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The New Flora of the Volcanic Island of Krakatau , pp. 53 - 68Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009First published in: 1908