New ant-dispersed species in the genera Carex, Luzula, and Claytonia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Laboratory tests of foraging behavior of ants show that perigynia of Carex umbellata and C. communis and seeds of Luzula campestris, L. acuminata, and Claytonia virginica have elaiosomes that attract ants to carry the diaspores to their nests. Other morphological features of these species may be interpreted as adaptive for ant dispersal, including the extremely shortened fertile culms of C. umbellata, the bending of C. communis culms when seeds are mature, and the reflexing of pedicles of C. virginica.