Research Article
Seed Dispersal and Germination Traits of 70 Plant Species Inhabiting the Gurbantunggut Desert in Northwest China
Table 2
Dispersal syndromes and characteristics of diaspores and number of species, genera, and families with each syndrome.
| Dispersal syndrome | Secondary dispersal syndrome | Fruit type of storage material | Fruit or seed trait relevant to dispersal | Number of species | Number of genera | Number of families |
| Zoochory | Endozoochory | Berry, drupe, storage material (sugars, starches, lipids, or proteins), or capsule | Edible aril or pulp | 1 | 1 | 1 | Epizoochory | Hook-like or sticky substance capsule | Adherence structure | 11 | 10 | 5 |
| Anemochory | | Capsule, pod, and winged nut; dust seed (<0.01 mg); hairy; and pappus | Easily dispersal by wind | 25 | 17 | 7 |
| Autochory | | Explosive capsule | Ballistic | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Barochory | | None | Seed dispersal via gravity | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| Ombrohydrochory | | Mucilage | Seed produces mucilage when wetted | 11 | 8 | 3 |
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