Examples of intraspecific genetic variation in plants
Author
Dr. Kenneth D. Whitney University of California Center for Population Biology and Sec of Evolution One Shields Avenue Davis California 95616 USA
Description
Fruit color polymorphisms, Acacia ligulata
Fruit color polymorphisms are striking examples of intraspecific genetic variation
in plants that can interact with animal associates such as seed dispersers.
Diaspores of the Australian desert shrub Acacia ligulata (Fabaceae)
are composed of a black seed (ca. 5 mm in length) surmounted by a colored, lipid-rich
aril (ca. 2.5 mm). The three color morphs-red, orange, and yellow-are dispersed
by both ants and birds.
Publisher
Botanical Society of America
Additional data
copyright: Kenneth D. Whitney, BSA
license: http://images.botany.org/index.html#license