Study on Floral Structure and Diaspores of Dicentra spectabilis Lem. and Related Ants which Disperse Seeds

Abstract

The study performed researches on floral structures, fruits, diaspores, cafeteria experiments and their related ants on the Dicentra spectabilis Lem. internal petals which cover pistils and stamens of the Dicentra spectabilis Lem. did not open until fruits grew and came outside and stigma placed lower than anthers on outgoing floral, showing that it is a cleistogamous flow with self-pollination in a narrow space. The average length of capsules of Dicentra spectabilis Lem. and width were 36.75 and 7.15 mm, respectively and the number of diaspores for each capsule was 11.3 mm. The Dicentra spectabilis Lem. has black-colored spherical seed surface with white large elaiosome. The average weights of Dicentra spectabilis Lem., seeds and elaiosome and the ratio of elaiosome were 7.19, 5.33 and 1.89 mg and 26.26%, respectively. It was observed that many ants took diaspores of Dicentra spectabilis Lem. and 6 kinds of ants including Formica japonica, Lacius alienus (Forster), Tetramorium caespitum, Myrmica kotofui (Forel), Lasius niger (Linne) and Temhothorax spinosior and Formica japonica and Myrmica kotofui with relatively large bodies took Dicentra spectabilis Lem. the more frequently. The Dicentra spectabilis Lem. has a weakness in securing genetic diversity and adaptability from inbreeding depression as a perfect cleiscogamous flower but the issue may be overcome by utilizing advantages like elaiosome and using ants to disperse seeds. There may be more investigations on flora, ants, cafeteria experiment and others to understand the mutualism of plants with elaiosome and ant species in Korea.