Following on the whole why-fruits-are-round discussion, let me pose this to
the group.
What would you say was the original means of dispersal for seeds/fruit of the
Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera), also known as Bois d'Arc and Horse Apple?
We are dealing with a large (ca. 1 kilo) fruit to about 10 cm in diameter.
They are green (not a bird-attractive color) and full of a sticky, milky sap.
A multiple fruit, the interior has a number of small seeds and the flesh is
not at all like edible members of the Moraceae such as figs or mulberries. It
seems a tremendous expenditure for the plant in terms of fruit production!
While squirrels will *occasionally* rip them open to get to the seeds and a
friend swears she has seen a horse eat one, the vast majority of these things
seem to drop right under the tree and decay. (The fruit have great
recreational value for small children, but I hardly think they were the
primary dispersal agent intended.)
If anyone has any ideas, I'd be glad to hear them. Are we missing a large
avian or herbivorous mammal? Is there some sort of insect that comes and gets
the seeds--and if so, then why the trouble to make so much fruit?
If it helps, the plants are dioecious. They are found in many parts of N.
America, but probably much outside their original range as they were widely
planted for windbreaks and firewood by European settlers in the prairie and
plains states.
Monique Reed
Botanist
Texas A&M University
