Dispersal of Seeeds

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Seed Noun

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[seed]

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Seed

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A plant ovule containing an embryo, which stores food and can remain dormant to survive harsh environmental conditions.

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Example: This diagram shows a seed located inside a fleshy fruit. Animals eat the fruit for its pulp, and then carry the seed away to a new location.

Front

Embryo Noun

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[em-bree-oh]

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Embryo

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The tiny, undeveloped plant contained within a seed, which will grow into a new plant under suitable environmental conditions.

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Example: This diagram shows a seed's embryo, which is the baby plant, protected by a seed coat and nourished by food storage.

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Dormant Adjective

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[dor-mant]

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Dormant

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A resting state in which a seed's embryo can survive harsh conditions until the environment is suitable for growth.

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Example: During unfavorable seasons, seeds become dormant, pausing their growth and waiting for favorable conditions like warmth and water to germinate and grow.

Front

Seed Dispersal Noun

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[seed dis-pur-suhl]

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Seed Dispersal

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The process of scattering or transporting seeds away from the parent plant to ensure species survival and prevent overcrowding.

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Example: This image shows two ways seeds are dispersed, or spread out: by wind, like dandelion seeds floating away, and by animals, like a squirrel carrying nuts.

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Seedling Noun

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[seed-ling]

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Seedling

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A very young plant that has recently grown from a seed and is no longer dependent on the seed's stored food.

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Example: This image shows the stages of germination, where a seed sprouts and grows into a seedling, which is a young plant with its first leaves.

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Ovule Noun

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[ov-yool]

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Ovule

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The structure within a flowering plant that contains the female reproductive cell and develops into a seed after fertilization.

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Example: This diagram shows a flower's cross-section, pointing to the ovules located inside the ovary. After pollination, these ovules develop into seeds.

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Fleshy Fruit Noun

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[flesh-ee froot]

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Fleshy Fruit

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A type of fruit that attracts animals to eat it and disperse the seeds within, often being brightly colored and sweet.

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Example: This diagram shows the parts of an apple, a fleshy fruit. The edible flesh attracts animals, which eat the fruit and disperse the seeds elsewhere.

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Mechanical Dispersal Noun

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[muh-kan-i-kuhl dis-pur-suhl]

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Mechanical Dispersal

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A method of seed dispersal where a dried seedpod splits open and forcibly scatters the seeds, also known as explosion.

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Example: This image presents 'Mechanical Seed Dispersal' as a topic but does not show how it works, such as a plant pod bursting to scatter seeds.

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Seedpod Noun

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[seed-pod]

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Seedpod

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A plant structure that encloses the seeds and, in some species, dries out to burst open for mechanical dispersal.

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Example: This diagram shows how some seedpods, like those of the Impatiens plant, burst open to forcefully scatter their seeds away from the parent plant.