I was eating an tomato today, and was thinking, what good does the flesh do for the tomato plantin the context of evolution. Its not that seed is eaten then deposited by an animal, because I am pretty sure that tomato seeds can be digested, and also the flesh is pretty acidic, and tomatoes need a soil with a high lime (base) content to grow well. Why did the tomato evolve into this form, compared to a way to distribute seeds by digestion like and then deposited by animal excretions as apples, pears, etc… other fruits do?
Ben
It’s probably meant to be eaten and dispersed by birds, which don’t digest the seeds. Birds have fast digestive systmes that don’t digest most seeds, and will deposit the seeds far from the original plant.
Not to mention that the tomato in the form your eating it has been bred to be in that form. The original tomato plant was probably quite different.
Think again. Tomato seeds (and many other seeds) have a gelatinous coating that resisits digestion and allows the seeds to be dispersed and propgates after the animal excretes it.
Then again, the tomato (along with a number of other plants) has become quite successful at inducing a particular species of primate to not only disperse its seeds, but also nuture and care for the seeds, sproutlings, and future tomato plants, including weeding, watering, and fertilizing.
Some terrestrial plants have even evolved the capacity to synthesize chemicals that serve as euphoriants for their symbiont primate species. So valued are the intoxicating properties of these plants among members of this common primate species, that they will go to great lengths to procure these botanicals. Thus, through natural selection and this bizarre symbiotic relationship, these plant species have assured their survival into perpetuity in many artificially lit nooks within the urban sprawl.
I worked at a wastewater treatment plant one summer when I was but a lad and one interesting thing about that was that tomato seeds not only survive digestion, but also survive all the chemical treatment involved in processing wastewater, the proof being that the banks of the outflow canal were fairly thick with tomato plants (reefer, too, oddly enough).
and to think a plant went to all the trouble of evolving in order to trick me into slicing its ovaries up and putting them on a sandwich with cream cheese…
clever plant
Tomatoes in the wild bear very small fruits; from the size of a pea up to about the size of a large grape; ideal size for birds I’d say.
actually tomatoes are grown in acidic soil, just not too acidic.
Certain plant species can not survive without have their seed digested. A famous example is a tree that evolved to depend on the dodo bird. Once the dodo went extinct it stopped propogating. It was only discovered recently that this was happening (fortunately the trees can live a long time) and turkeys have been drafted into “processing” the (large) seeds.
As mentioned though, the difference between the original fruit and the modern crop can be vast. Think of really hard bitter crabapples vs. a red delicious. But indeed the original fruit had evolved specifically to be eaten in order to spread the seed. Dung makes good starting soil!
Now, if someone can explain to me why An Arky saw “weed” next to a sewage canal. Umm, people eat the seeds?
To ftg:
Naw, the stuff probably got flushed in a bust.
~VOW
…also to avoid getting busted if the gestapo were to search your trash cans, etc., flushing would get rid of the evidence…at least that’s what I assume, I wouldn’t know personally:rolleyes:
…also to avoid getting busted if the gestapo were to search your trash cans, etc., flushing would get rid of the residual evidence…at least that’s what I assume, I wouldn’t know personally:rolleyes:
Goddamn hamsters!:smack: