Question

Which of the following seed scatter by sticking on the fur of the animal?
A. Mango
B. Coconut
C. Cotton
D. Xanthium

Answer 1

Hint: There are various agents like air, water, birds, animals, etc., through which seeds can be dispersed or spread. The seeds are light weighted and have thin hairs that travel through the air. For example – cottonseed.

Complete answer:

Seed scattering can be achieved by wind, water, gravity, animals, etc. Coconut seeds are scattered with the help of water whereas cotton seeds are scattered by the wind. On the other hand, mango seeds are scattered by animals, humans, or birds in such a way that they eat the flesh of the mango fruit and drop the seed on the ground. So, here the answer will be Xanthium.

Xanthium which is also known as cocklebur is found all over America, eastern Asia, and in some parts of South Asia. It is a genus of flowering plants within the family Asteraceae (daisy family). These plants are 51-119 cm in length with a spiral arrangement of leaves.

Xanthium seeds are produced inside a hard, spiny, double-chambered, single-seeded bur which is 0.8 to 2.01 cm long. As the seed is covered with stiff spines that are hooked, they stick to the fur of animals. The hooked spines of the seed make it difficult for the animals to get rid of the seeds. In this way, the seeds are carried away from the parent plant and are scattered. These scattered seeds germinate into a plant in the presence of favorable conditions otherwise they remain in a dormant stage.

Hence, Option (D) is the correct answer.

Additional information:
Coconut seed floats on water only when its outer layers dry out. Due to this, the coconut seed is carried away from the parent plant by the water bodies. Once, it comes in touch with the ground, it starts to germinate (only in favorable conditions) and finally develops into a new plant.
On the other hand, cotton seeds have fine long hair around them which makes them light. Due to this, they are easily carried by the wind.

Note: For seeds to stick to animal fur, hooked spines should be present. In the absence of hooked spines, they won’t be able to attach themselves to the fur of animals.