A New Study Reveals the Secrets of the Rapid and Accurate Seed Dispersal of the Ecballium Cucumber from Distances of Several Meters.
Nature is a continuous struggle for species survival, and this is undeniable. We are familiar with the “battles” or “unique tactics” employed by various animal species to fulfill their reproductive roles. But how does this process unfold in the plant kingdom?
In reality, seeds of various plant species are dispersed in multiple ways. Some plants, like dandelions, milkweed, and lantern plants, rely on the wind for seed dispersal, allowing their seeds to float away like parachutes to germinate wherever they land.
Beyond these conventional methods, some plants have remarkably “unique and fascinating” ways of seed dispersal, such as the Ecballium cucumber.
At first glance, one might mistakenly think this plant possesses some mystical power.
The Ecballium cucumber, scientifically known as Ecballium, belongs to the flowering plant family Cucurbitaceae. This species originates from Europe, North Africa, and some temperate regions in Asia, and it is now widely cultivated as an ornamental plant and has even become “naturalized” in many areas. It is often referred to as the “exploding cucumber” due to its vigorous seed dispersal mechanism.
A close-up of the seed dispersal process of the Ecballium cucumber.
The video depicting the seed dispersal process shows that when the Ecballium cucumber drops, it explosively ejects its seeds into the air like a small fountain.
The scientific explanation for this seed dispersal mechanism is not yet definitive and clear. However, several hypotheses have been proposed, including one based on physical principles that could serve as a basis for studying this phenomenon.
It is suggested that within the Ecballium cucumber, there may be gas bubbles that move at high speeds. When these bubbles collide with a barrier (in this case, the cucumber’s pulp), they create pressure. When the fruit ripens and falls, it creates an opening at the fruit’s mouth, and the pressure built up inside forces the seeds, along with the liquid, out.
Why does this cucumber eject its seeds?
Co-author Finn Box from the University of Manchester explains that the explosive seed dispersal of the Ecballium cucumber has evolved over generations to enhance its survival. This mechanism allows the plant to spread its seeds over a wide area, reducing competition among offspring and neighboring plants, thereby increasing the chances of survival for the next generation.
The study also indicates that small changes in this mechanism can affect seed survival rates. For instance, if the pressure inside the fruit increases without distributing fluid into the stem, the seeds may fall closer to the parent plant, reducing the chances of the seedlings’ survival.
These new findings not only answer long-standing mysteries but also open up potential applications in new technologies, such as medical devices capable of precisely delivering drugs on demand.
“This research offers applications in engineering and material science inspired by biology, particularly in on-demand drug delivery systems,” Box emphasizes.
