Question

How do Arrow poison trees disperse their seeds? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer: Acokanthera schimperi (Arrow Poison Tree) is a species of tree in the family Apocynaceae. It has a self-supporting growth form. It has simple, broad leaves. Arrow Poison Tree is a photoautotroph.

Explanation: The bark, wood and roots of Acokanthera schimperi are used as an important ingredient of arrow poison in Africa. All plant parts contain acovenoside A and ouabaïne, which are cardiotonic glycosides. Its fruit is edible, and is eaten as a famine food. When ripe they are sweet but also slightly bitter. Unripe fruits have caused accidental poisoning as they are highly toxic.[3]

The maned rat spreads the plant's poison on its fur and becomes poisonous.[4]

It is also used in traditional African medicine.[5] In Ethiopia, for example, Acokanthera schimperi leaves have been traditionally used for jaundice.

There seeds are dispersed by,

Other methods of dispersal

Some plants don’t invest much energy in complex mechanisms for dispersal. Bluebells or wild hyacinths (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) are one example of a plant that simply drops its seeds directly to the ground. However, the result is that such plants will tend to spread and colonise new areas very slowly indeed.