Botanik Seminar: Ecology and evolution of embryo size in angiosperms

Mittwoch, 15. Februar 2023 - Mittwoch, 15. Februar 2023

15.02.2023 in person: Dr. Filip Vandelook. Meise Botanic Garden, Belgium.

Beginn: 16.15 Uhr; Größer Hörsaal des Botanischen Instituts | Start: 4.15 p.m.; Big lecture hall in the Botanical Institute, Menzinger Str. 67, 80638 München.

Seeds of angiosperms with a small embryo embedded in copious endosperm were first described in the 19th century. Later on, it became clear that such seeds commonly occurred in temperate forest herbs. However, it was not until the seminal work of Martin in 1946 that insight was gained on the distribution of seeds with small embryos and copious endosperm or perisperm in seed plants and its prevalence in early branching angiosperm orders, such as Nymphaeales and Magnoliales. Nowadays, fossil and phylogenetic evidence corroborates that early angiosperms dispersed endospermic seeds with small embryos. In angiosperms, a general evolutionary trend is observed towards seeds containing large embryos and little or no endo- or perispermic nutritive tissue, although this trend may just be a passive one, away from a lower boundary for relative embryo size. The adaptive significance of the embryo size relative to the size of the seed still offers plenty of food for debate. Newly compiled large data-sets and more advanced techniques for modelling and statistical analyses provide interesting opportunities to explore the questions on the evolution of embryo size, ecological correlates and its potential adaptive nature.

Host: Dr. Anze Zerdoner Calasan

Ein gemeinsames Seminar des Lehrstuhls für Systematik, Biodiversität & Evolution der Pflanzen der LMU München, der Botanischen Staatssammlung München und des Botanischen Gartens München-Nymphenburg.

A joint seminar of the section Systematics, Biodiversity & Evolution of Plants, the Botanische Staatssammlung München and the Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg