Aril
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Title
Aril
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Definition
A fleshy outgrowth from the base of the funicle.
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Notes
The arils of neotropical Lecythidaceae are of five types: basal, lateral-basal, lateral, half I-beam, and spreading. In species of Allantoma and Cariniana, we hypothesize that the fleshy aril of their ancestors was flattened to form a unilateral wing. In species of Allantoma dispersed by the water, the wings are vestigial because they provide no particular advantage for water dispersal, that function is taken over by a corky seed coat.
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Related Terms
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