Step 1: Understanding the Question:
Shorea robusta is the scientific name for the Sal tree. The question asks how its seeds are adapted for dispersal.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
• Seed Structure: The Sal seed is a nut enclosed in persistent, winged sepals. Usually, there are 5 wings, out of which 3 are large and 2 are small.
• Anemochory: Dispersal by wind is called anemochory. When the Sal seeds mature in the summer (May-June), they dry up and these wings act as parachutes or shuttlecocks.
• Mechanism: When the seeds fall, the wings cause them to spin and glide, allowing the wind to carry them far away from the parent tree. This prevents overcrowding and helps the species colonize new areas.
• Viability Factor: Sal seeds have very short viability (recalcitrant seeds), usually only 7 to 10 days. Therefore, efficient dispersal just before the onset of the monsoon is crucial for their survival.
• Ecological Result: This wind-dispersal mechanism is why Sal often forms large, almost pure stands in Central and North India.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The seeds of Shorea robusta are modified to disperse by wind.