Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 9 · column 4 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
Photo courtesy ot Jim Lawrey
BLOOD ROOT
(Sanguinariacanadensis)
discarded in ant refuse piles where they germinate and grow later on.
Elaiosomes obviously benefit ants. But why should a plant invest so much energy enticing ants to take away their seeds?
The theory is that seeds are better off away from the parent plant where they are less likely to be eaten by seed predators and more likely to establish themselves. So the plant-ant association appears to be mutually beneficial, with each associate getting an essential resource (the ants get food and the plants get protection/transport) at a time when resources are in short supply.
Let us know also if you are lucky enough to see ants dispersing seeds in any of these species. Send your comments to: rappnature@aol.com.
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