The effects of seed mass, fruit size, and pollination method on seed dispersal in Viola pubescens (Violaceae).

Abstract

Viola pubescens produces chasmogamous (cross-pollinated) and cleistogamous (self-pollinated) seeds, which are ballistically dispersed. I analyzed the relationships between dispersal distance and seed mass, dispersal distance and capsule size, and seed mass and capsule size of V. pubescens chasmogamous seeds in the lab. There was a marginally significant correlation between dispersal distance and capsule length (p=.065). A larger capsule size may influence the distance the chasmogamous seeds disperse, but capsule size does not influence seed mass. Likewise, seed mass does not influence dispersal distance. Considering these data, myrmecochory maybe more important in discriminating wshich seeds are dispersed farthest, rather than variables of ballistic dispersal.