Effect of some characters of myrmecochorous syndrome on the removal rates of diaspores of Corydalis cava and Pulmonaria obscura by Formica polyctena ants

Complex of adaptations of myrmecochorous plants to the ant dispersal compos es so called myrmecochorous syndrome. To study the effect of some morpholog ical and anatomical adaptations on diaspore attractiveness for ants, the fi eld experiments with diaspores and their extracts were carried out. It was shown that chemical cues attracting ants are located in different parts of diaspores: in elaiosome only (C. cava) or in elaiosome, coverage of externa l layer of the fruit and in the fruit collar (P. obscura), Anatomy of adapt ive structure of diaspores is also discussed together with the results of f ield experiments.