Functional Surfaces in Biology: Little Structures with Big Effects Volume 1

The slime envelope is strongly involved in the proper functioning of the diaspore at different regulatory levels. It plays an essential role in dispersal, and creates conditions suitable for germination (either stimulation or inhibition depending on environmental cues). By adhesion of the diaspore to the soil, it is protected from unwanted moves to unfavourable habitats. By anchoring the seed in substratum, it regulatesitsorientationandrootpenetration.Finally,theslimeenvelopesuppliesthe embryo and developing seedling with water and nutrients and defends them against viral or fungal pathogenic attack. The presence of slime assures a plant’s success in both dispersal of the diaspore and colonization of new habitats. In general: the slime envelope allows plants to live, ?y and not die. Acknowledgments I particularly want to thank my colleague Dr. Edyta Gola (University of Wroc?aw) for the critical revision of this work. References Abeysekera, R.M. and Willison, J.H.M. (1987) Development of helicoidal in the prerelease mucilage of quince (Cydonia oblonga) seed epidermis. Can. J. Bot. 66: 460–467. Anio?-Kwiatkowska, J., Kwiatkowski, S., and Berdowski, W. (1993) Rosliny ´ lecznicze. Atlas. Warszawa: Arkady. Baiges, J.C. and Blanche, ´ C. (1988) Morfologia de les granes de les especies ` iberico-balears ` del genere ` Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae), I. Subgen. Chamaesyce Ra?n. Actes del Simposi Internacional de Botanica ` Pius Font i Quer, vol II: 91–96. Baiges, J.C., Espadaler, X. and Blanche, ´ C. (1991) Seed dispersal in W Mediterranean Euphorbia species. Botanika Chronika 10: 697–705.