Mistletoe is a plant that lives on trees and gains nutrition from them (that is, it is a parasite). The fruit of the mistletoe is a one-seeded berry and is consumed by birds. In members of the genus Viscum, the outside of the seed is viscous (sticky), which permits the seed to adhere to surfaces such as the branches of host plants or the beaks of birds. What should be expected of the fruit if the viscosity of Viscum seeds is primarily an adaptation for dispersal rather than an adaptation for infecting host plant tissues? The fruit ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the viscosity of Viscum seeds is primarily an adaptation for dispersal, then it is likely that the seed is being dispersed by birds or other organisms. To encourage dispersal, the fruit would need to be nutritious to these organisms. Therefore, it would be expected that the mistletoe fruit is nutritious to the dispersing organisms. Choices A, B, and D are unlikely to be correct since they do not relate to the function of the viscous outer layer of the seed in dispersal.

Mistletoe Is a Plant That Lives on Trees and Gains