Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Fruit Development, Structure, and Function

Fruit Development, Structure, and Function

Fruits form from a mature flower ovary. As seeds develop from the ovules contained within, the ovary wall undergoes a series of complex changes to form fruit. In some fruits, such as soybeans, the ovary wall dries; in other fruits, such as grapes, it remains fleshy. In some cases, organs other than the ovary contribute to fruit formation; such fruits are called accessory fruits.

Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte

Seed Structure and Early Development of the Sporophyte

Seed structures are composed of a protective seed coat surrounding a plant embryo, and a food store for the developing embryo. The embryo contains the precursor tissues for leaves, stem, and roots. The endosperm and cotyledons—seed leaves—act as the food reserves for the growing embryo.

Introduction to Plant Diversity

Introduction to Plant Diversity

From Water to Land

The Angiosperm Life Cycle

The Angiosperm Life Cycle

Plants have a life cycle split between two multicellular stages: a haploid stage—with cells containing one set of chromosomes—and a diploid stage—with cells containing two sets of chromosomes. The haploid stage is the gamete-producing gametophyte, and the diploid stage is the spore-producing sporophyte.

Seedless Vascular Plants

Seedless Vascular Plants

Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth

Introduction to Seed Plants

Introduction to Seed Plants

Most plants are seed plants—characterized by seeds, pollen, and reduced gametophytes. Seed plants include gymnosperms and angiosperms.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Span Efficiency of Flying Animals.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026

Same author

Morphogenesis of moss leaf-like organs through variations in deeply shared developmental principles.

Science advances·2026

Same author

A multiscale theory for network advection- reaction-diffusion.

Journal of mathematical biology·2026

Same author

CESA7 and microtubules pattern complex secondary cell walls in explosive fruit of Cardamine hirsuta.

The Plant cell·2026

Same author

Miltos Tsiantis.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same author

A universal phase-plane model for in vivo protein aggregation.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Published on: November 6, 2016

Morphomechanical Innovation Drives Explosive Seed Dispersal.

Hugo Hofhuis¹, Derek Moulton², Thomas Lessinnes²

¹Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829 Köln, Germany.

|June 7, 2016

Summary

The explosive seed dispersal in Cardamine hirsuta evolved through morphomechanical innovations. This complex trait involves coordinated mechanical and biological processes from the cellular to the organ scale.

More Related Videos

Mechanostimulation of Multicellular Organisms Through a High-Throughput Microfluidic Compression System

Mechanostimulation of Multicellular Organisms Through a High-Throughput Microfluidic Compression System

Published on: December 23, 2022

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Published on: November 6, 2016

Mechanostimulation of Multicellular Organisms Through a High-Throughput Microfluidic Compression System

Mechanostimulation of Multicellular Organisms Through a High-Throughput Microfluidic Compression System

Published on: December 23, 2022

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Published on: March 10, 2021

Area of Science:

Plant biology
Evolutionary biology
Biomechanics

Background:

Coordinating mechanical and biological processes across scales is crucial for complex trait evolution.
Cardamine hirsuta exhibits explosive seed dispersal, a fascinating plant trait.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the morphomechanical innovations underlying explosive seed dispersal in Cardamine hirsuta.
To integrate mechanisms across spatial scales, linking evolutionary novelty to complex trait development.

Main Methods:

Investigated organ-scale tension generation via differential fruit wall tissue contraction.
Analyzed cellular-scale control of explosive release through asymmetric lignin deposition.
Examined the association of this pattern across the Brassicaceae family.

Main Results:

Organ-scale tension is generated by active fruit wall tissue contraction involving turgor pressure, cell geometry, and epidermal properties.
Cellular-scale explosive release is controlled by asymmetric lignin deposition in endocarp cells.
This lignin deposition pattern is conserved across the Brassicaceae family, correlating with explosive pod shatter.

Conclusions:

An integrated mechanism for explosive seed dispersal has been presented, connecting evolutionary novelty with complex trait innovation.
Morphomechanical innovations at different spatial scales are key to the evolution of this trait.