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Fruit and seed traits of the elephant-dispersed African savanna plant Balanites maughamii

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2015

J. J. Midgley ,
L. M. Kruger ,
S. Viljoen ,
A. Bijl  and
S.-L. Steenhuisen
J. J. Midgley*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, P. Bag Rondebosch, South Africa, 7701
L. M. Kruger
Affiliation:
Organisation of Tropical Studies, P.O. Skukuza, South Africa, 1350
S. Viljoen
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, P. Bag Rondebosch, South Africa, 7701
A. Bijl
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, P. Bag Rondebosch, South Africa, 7701
S.-L. Steenhuisen
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, P. Bag Rondebosch, South Africa, 7701
*
1Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

Balanites maughamii appears to be an obligate elephant-dispersed species. Its fruits are strongly scented and produce a large range of volatiles, particularly aliphatic acids such as hexanoic and isovaleric acid. The seed coat can resist a compression force of >1.5 kN. Seeds removed from the seed coat, and those from compressed seeds or from elephant dung, have better germination than seeds enclosed by undamaged seed-coats, which largely failed to germinate over a 2-mo period. Mastication by elephants may be necessary to split the seed coat to allow germination and the germinant to emerge from the seed coat. We identify four traits of elephant-dispersed fruits; they are dull-coloured, presented on the ground, strongly scented and have exceptionally strong seed coats.

Keywords

Balanites maughamiidispersalendozoochoryscent
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 31 , Issue 6 , November 2015 , pp. 557 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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References

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