Correlations between morphological fruit types, fruit and seed colors, and functional groups

Abstract

The associations between morphological fruit types, fruit and seed colors, and functional plant traits: life forms, epiphytism, physiology, nutritional relationships, fruit phenology, and successional stage, were determined for 1,139 plant species from contrasting plant communities. Texture and dehiscence were closely related. Dehiscence is largely associated with dry tissues; indehiscence, however, is an attribute of both dry and fleshy fruits. The number of morphological fruit types was 28 or 55 for Gray's and Spjut's classifications, respectively. Fruits were predominantly dark in color (brown, purple-black, black or green), whilst seeds had both dark and light colors (brown, beige, or black). The most representative associations were mainly found between the more abundant fruit types and the colors most common. Asymmetries in the level of specialization, whereby less common fruit and seed colors tended to be associated with the most common fruit types, were also found. Fleshy fruits showed more variation as regards their coloration, and only drupes and berries showed a tendency towards a specific color: purple-black. The relationships among fruit type and color, seed color, and functional plant traits revealed the following trends: trees produced both fleshy and dry fruits; shrubs produced fleshy fruits; and herbaceous species, dry fruits. Woody species tended to have dark or bright colors, depending on their seed dispersal mechanisms and phylogenetic relations. Epiphytes were associated with dry-dehiscent fruits and brown seeds, and parasitic-hemiparasitic species had predominantly fleshy-indehiscent fruits. Pioneer species were more likely to have dry fruits, whereas fleshy fruits tended to be more frequent in late successional stage species. The C4 species, mostly herbs, had mainly one-seeded dry fruits, but multi-seeded fruits in succulent-CAM species showed morphologically diverse fruit types. Unripe and ripe fruits showed seasonal changes, especially during the rainy-dry transition period for the most abundant morphological fruit types, dry fruits during the dry period and fleshy fruited species was positively associated with the rainy season. All these trends are discussed with regard to their environmental significance and the relationships between fruit morphology, colors and functional groups. .

How Does Changing Environment Influence Plant Seed Movements as Populations of Dispersal Vectors Decline?

“…Secondary metabolites, which are usually accumulated at high levels in fleshy fruits, are also involved in the interaction of fleshy fruits with vertebrates, insects, and microorganisms seed dispersers [ 99 ]. Moreover, fleshy fruits are more colorful, particularly those trees and shrubs in forests, to attract dispersal agents and increase the chances of being seen by potential seed dispersers [ 100 , 101 ]. This exemplifies the mutualistic relationship between traits of fleshy fruits and their seed dispersers.…”

Morphological-anatomical and chemical features of Copernicia alba fruits and seeds, a palm from Brazilian Pantanal

“…The phenolic compounds give the typical dark color to the mature fruits. Besides attracting local fauna, fruit colors can also indicate possible successional stages of the plant community, as suggested by the studies of [37], that black fruits are significantly related to pioneer species.…”

“…observed numerous idioblasts with phenolic compounds. The substantial presence of phenolic compounds in palm fruits can have a relevant role in protecting fruits and seeds against high temperatures ordinary in areas of occurrence of C. alba [37], as well as against fungi and bacteria, due to antimicrobial activity [38,39]. Several palms have been investigated as potential sources of bioactive compounds that can be obtained from roots, flowers, leaves and fruits, with different biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory, antimalarial and antibacterial, being most of those pharmacological properties reported in ethnobotanical studies proved in scientific research [40].…”