Entries by Carlos A. Ordóñez-Parra

Among-population variation in seed mass for 190 Tibetan plant species: Phylogenetic pattern and ecological correlates (Glob. Ecol. Conserv.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

Seed mass is a central trait in plant life history that impacts on seed production, germination, and establishment. Several studies have documented the variation in seed mass between species, but little is known about its variation among populations of the same species. In this paper, Zhang et al. tested the relationship between Among-Population Variation in […]

Phylogenetic relatedness mediates persistence and density of soil seed banks ($) (J. Ecol.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

Soil seed banks are classified into two types, depending on how long seeds remain viable in the soil before germination or decay: transient (< 1 year) or persistent (> 1 year). In turn, a species’ ability to form a persistent seed bank presumably depends on seed traits and plant habitat. However, the impact of evolutionary […]

Cones structure and seed traits of four species of large‐seeded pines: Adaptation to animal‐mediated dispersal (Ecol. Evol.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

Different studies show that animal-dispersed pines have particular cone and seed structures to match their dispersers. However, most research has either addressed the changes in cone and seed traits in a single species over an environmental gradient or the differences between wind-dispersed and animal-dispersed pines. In this study, Zhang et al. characterize the cone and seed […]

On the origin of giant seeds: the macroevolution of the double coconut (Lodoicea maldivica) and its relatives (Borasseae, Arecaceae) (New Phytol.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

The double coconut –Lodoicea maldivica (J.F.Gmel.) Pers. (Arecaceae: Coryophoideae)– is an endemic palm from Seychelles with the largest seed in the world: 0.5 m length and 25 Kg weight. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of this enormous seed, but they have not been formally tested. Here, Bellot et al. trace the evolution of seed size […]

Review: Seed Mucilage Evolution: Diverse Molecular Mechanisms Generate Versatile Ecological Functions for Particular Environments ($) (Plant Cell Environ.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

Plants with myxodiaspory release mucilage upon imbibition of seeds (myxospermy, e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana) or fruits (myxocarpy, e.g., Linum usitatissimum). This ability appears in several angiosperm families, but its evolutionary origin has seldom been studied. In this review, Viudes et al. synthesize our current knowledge about mucilage development in myxodiasporous species and provide insights regarding the evolution of the genetic machinery behind […]

Phylogenetic analyses of key developmental genes provide insight into the complex evolution of seeds ($) (Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

The complex genetic network behind the development of the ovule –the cell that will give place to seeds after fertilization– has been widely described in some model plants. However, ovules hold a high variability in integument number and morphology across seed plants. To understand the genetic mechanism behind this diversity, Zumajo-Cardona and Ambrose analyze the […]

Parallel Seed Color Adaptation during Multiple Domestication Attempts of an Ancient New World Grain ($) (Mol. Biol. Evol.)

July 31, 2020 in /by

Amaranth has been cultivated in Central and South America since Pre-Columbian times. Still, it exhibits features that are unexpected in domesticated plants, such as seed shattering and reduced seed size. Here, Setter et al. dissected the genetic signature of this crop’s domestication process, with a particular interest in mapping the genes responsible for seed color changes […]

Plant Science Research Weekly: July 31

July 31, 2020 in /by

Seed Evolution Special Issue This week “Plant Science Research Weekly,” focuses on the evolution of seeds and includes a selection of recent papers that use varying approaches to increase our understanding of the origin and changes of different seed features. Since seeds are transversal to multiple aspects of plant life, this Special Issue aims to […]

Epicotyl morphophysiological dormancy and storage behaviour of seeds of Strychnos ($) (Seed Sci. Res.)

July 24, 2020 in /by

Seed dormancy and desiccation tolerance impact on germination timing and soil seed bank formation. Here, Muthuthanthirige et al. conducted a thorough series of experiments and anatomical observations to determine the dormancy class and desiccation tolerance of three Strychnos (Loganiacae) species: S. nux-vomica, S. potatorum, and S. benthamii. (As indicated by the name, plants in this genus produce toxic […]