Protected ovary, was Asphodelus acaulis
Jane McGary (Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:45:22 PST)

Alberto Castillo wrote
The same purpose, a protected ovary in

I haven't seen Sternbergia actually bury the capsule the way
Asphodelus acaulis does, but the scape does bend over and lay the
capsule on the ground. Crocus and Colchicum capsules remain below the
soil surface, or mostly so, until ready to dehisce (when the capsule
releases the seeds). Then in Crocus, the capsule often pops above the
surface very quickly (I wonder what the mechanism is?) to a couple of
centimeters high in some species. Crocus seeds appear to be carried
off by ants.

Another odd characteristic of some bulbs that must be an adaptation
to avoid grazing animals is that some Fritillaria species keep the
scape (flowering stem) almost horizontal until right before the
flowers open; then it straightens up to where the bees will notice it
more, I suppose. It remains erect while the seed ripens; the seeds
are probably wind-dispersed.

Bulbs, you can see, are interesting even when not in flower.

Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA