Studies of the Surfaces of Desert Plant Seeds: II. Ecological Adaptations of the Seeds of Blepharis persica

A study was made of the role of the hydrated mucilage whicharises from the integumentary hairs of Blepharis seeds and inhibitsgermination where there is an excess of water, and of the anatomicaland physiological basis for this phenomenon. It was found thatthis inhibition was not due to bacterial respiration. The appearanceof the dry mucilage in the unimbibed seeds is described fromscanning electron micrographs. The basic helical framework ofthe secondary wall thickenings and the very unusual second-orderframework of trabeculae in the integumentary hair cells aredescribed.