Fruit of Burbidgea
This short note by H. N. Ridley describes the fruit and seed dispersal mechanism of Burbidgea, a Borneo-endemic genus in the order Scitamineae, identifying it as the only known case of wind dispersal in that order (p. 175).
Summary
Ridley first surveys the typical animal-mediated seed dispersal strategies across Scitamineae—brightly colored capsules with arils attracting birds in Alpinia and Hedychium, and dull-colored fruits dispersed by rodents in Anomum and Phaeomeria (p. 175). He then contrasts these with Burbidgea, whose thin papery capsules split along one side, leaving the placenta attached at both ends with very small, light seeds (3 mm long) suspended by short funicles. Each seed bears a thin, inconspicuous papery aril cut into laciniae, and the seeds hang downwards, waving in the wind and easily detached (p. 176). Ridley concludes that the entire fruit structure has been modified from an animal-dispersal form to one adapted for anemochory. Observations were made on B. schizochela cultivated at the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, from material collected by J. Hewitt (p. 176).