CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF PODS AND SEEDS OF DICHROSTACHYS CINEREA AS A BASIS OF SEED DISPERSAL

The occurrence of very few seeds of Dichrostachys cinerea in the soil seed bank prompted the present study as to why animal browsers and see d predators should select the infructescence of this plant. The prefer ential and extensive browsing of this indehiscent legume is apparently not due to any exceptional nutritive value of the pods and seeds. How ever, it is probably the strong rich aroma of the infructescence which initially attracts animals to this food source. The structure of the infructescence, ensures that upon location a large number of pods and seeds are consumed. Ingestion of the pods will provide fibre, lipid, f atty acids, carbohydrates, amino acids, nitrogen and protein.