"Ballistic seed dispersal" is not something you see often in plants – and for good reason, perhaps, when you see just what the affectionately called squirting cucumber is capable of. Shunning external ...
Plant species exhibit a variety of mechanisms of seed dispersal. The majority of seeds will be dispersed locally around the maternal parent in relation to the speed and direction of wind for ...
Learn more about squirting cucumbers (Ecballium elaterium) and how their seeds explode out of them, which could lead to medical advancements. When it comes to seed dispersal, many plants rely on the ...
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. This rainforest tree solved one of evolution’s hardest ...
The sandbox tree launches seeds at 150 mph by exploding its ripe fruits. This explosive dispersal helps seeds escape crowded forest competition. The tree grows in tropical rainforests from Mexico to ...
Anna Nordseth is an ecology writer and Duke University Ph.D. candidate specializing in tropical forest ecology, conservation research, and biodiversity. Think plants can’t move? You’re only half right ...
Evan Fricke receives funding from the National Science Foundation. Alejandro Ordonez receives funding from the Aarhus University Research Fund. Haldre Rogers receives funding from the US National ...
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