Hermit crab poop spreads a parasitic plant’s seeds

Cameras Finally Captured How a Parasitic Plant That Mimics Mushrooms Spreads Its Seeds—and an Unexpected Ally Was Revealed

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Who are the secret gardeners of a parasitic plant?

In the coastal forests of a tropical Japanese island near Okinawa grows an inconspicuous plant that is easy to mistake for a mushroom. It is a non-green parasite that feeds on the roots of other plants and produces up to 1 million tiny seeds, each covered in a minuscule, dry fruit. The seeds, in particular, present a mystery to scientists: How do they get dispersed?

Hermit crab poop spreads a parasitic plant’s seeds

The crustaceans are both external and internal seed dispersers. The post Hermit crab poop spreads a parasitic plant’s seeds appeared first on Popular Science.