Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Angiosperms • comparative seed biology • dormancy • endosperm and perisperm • gymnosperms • seed development • seed evolution • seed mass
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Biology
The Evolution Of Seeds, Ada Linkies, Kai Graeber, Charles A. Knight, Gerhard Leubner-Metzger
The Evolution Of Seeds, Ada Linkies, Kai Graeber, Charles A. Knight, Gerhard Leubner-Metzger
Biological Sciences
The evolution of the seed represents a remarkable life-history transition for photosynthetic organisms. Here, we review the recent literature and historical understanding of how and why seeds evolved. Answering the 'how' question involves a detailed understanding of the developmental morphology and anatomy of seeds, as well as the genetic programs that determine seed size. We complement this with a special emphasis on the evolution of dormancy, the characteristic of seeds that allows for long 'distance' time travel. Answering the 'why' question involves proposed hypotheses of how natural selection has operated to favor the seed life-history phenomenon. The recent flurry of …