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Elaiosomes on Weed Seeds and the Potential for Myrmecochory in Naturalized Plants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Robert W. Pemberton  and
Delilah W. Irving
Robert W. Pemberton
Affiliation:
U.S. Dep. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv., West. Reg. Res. Ctr., Albany, CA 94710
Delilah W. Irving
Affiliation:
U.S. Dep. Agric., Agric. Res. Serv., West. Reg. Res. Ctr., Albany, CA 94710
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Abstract

Seeds of plants naturalized in the United States were examined for the presence of elaiosomes. Seeds of 47 species belonging to 13 families (Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Dipsacaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Fumariaceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Resedaceae, Rosaceae, and Solanaceae) were found to have elaiosomes, indicating that these species are probably mymecochorous, i.e., dispersed by ants. These include important rangeland weeds such as bull thistle, Canada thistle, musk thistle, diffuse knapweed, spotted knapweed, and leafy spurge. Myrmecochory in naturalized species may enhance their weediness in areas where they are established and assist their colonization of new and relatively closed communities.

Keywords

Antsseed dispersalrangelandCRUACCRUPYCRUTECENCYCENMECENNICXDBETLNMOSAOSCEPHCYEPHHEEPHPEFUMOFGENTIKNAARLAMAMLAMMALAMPUPTLANPTLRCRESLURIICOSLYMASYMOFELYCMULEEU
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 38 , Issue 6 , November 1990 , pp. 615 - 619
Copyright
Copyright © 1990 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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