Disperal of the Liliaceae representatives in relation to the structure of their reproductive organs

The Liliaceae family is a terminal one in the order Liliales sensu APG IV (2016) and consists of 15 genera with more than 700 species. The family’s geographical range covers most of the Northern hemisphere and extends through several natural zones, from forest tundra (Gagea species) to tropical forests (Tricyrtis imeldae Guthnick), within three continents, i. e. Eurasia, North America and Africa. Most Liliaceous genera occur both in Eurasia and North America. Representatives of Liliaceae develop coenocarpous fleshly indehiscent berries or dry dehiscent capsules. In most cases, multi-seeded berries themselves are a diaspore, whereas in the case of capsules, the seeds are normally a diaspora. The capsules play a vital role in seed dispersal. Structural adaptations of fruits allowed representatives of Liliaceae to spread into the territories that make up the modern range of the family.

The aim of the study is to determine the principal patterns of fruit development for the representatives of Liliaceae with different types of dissemination. The study is based on the investigation of morphological and anatomical structure of fruits which is related to geography, ecology and biology of the Liliaceae taxa dissemination.

The study has revealed that the wind is the most typical and widespread agent of dissemination for the investigated representatives of Liliaceae. The specialized capsules responsible for anemochory, i.e. auto-anemochory and anemochionochory (mainly in representatives of the ground cover of deciduous forests in temperate and subtropical climatic zones of the Holarctic Kingdom), are characteristic of representatives of the Lilioideae subfamily. Unlike the capsules supporting the anemochory, which actively participate in dissemination, the primary function of capsules of baro-myrmecochorous representatives of Liliaceae is seed production rather than their dispersal, which is reflected in the anatomical structure of the capsules, with numerous intercellular spaces in the pericarp and almost complete lack of its lignification. The endozoochory of fleshly berries of Liliaceae is effective for dispersal by long-distance transport, primarily by birds. Supposedly, the ornitochory prevents dispersal among a large number of ecosystems, which is echoed in the ranges of Clintonia, Prosartes and Streptopus genera, representatives of the ground cover of coniferous and broad-leaf forests of the Holarctic Kingdom.

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