Erythronium seed article
Diane Whitehead (Sat, 11 Feb 2006 08:25:35 PST)

There is an interesting article on Erythronium seeds by Art Guppy,
who grows all the species except three, in the latest BEN (Botanical
Electronic News). MYRMECOCHORY IN SOME SPECIES OF THE GENUS
ERYTHRONIUM It is archived at http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/

Art has observed that seeds of all species from Eastern North
America, Europe and Asia are attractive to ants, and none of the
species from Western North America are.

This has an effect on the best way to sow the seeds of the two
groups: the myrmecochorous ones are in moist soil during the summer,
so should be sown quickly, while the western ones stay dry for a long
time. (I just went into a sheltered part of my garden and discovered
open capsules that still had seeds in them.)

--
Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8
cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
sandy soil