The fruit of the mistletoe, a parasitic angiosperm, is a one-seeded berry. In members of the genus Viscum, the outside of the seed is viscous (sticky), which permits the seed to adhere to surfaces, such as the branches of host plants or the beaks of birds. What should be expected of the fruit if the viscosity of Viscum seeds is primarily an adaptation for dispersal rather than an adaptation for infecting host plant tissues?
A) It should be drab in color.
B) It should be colored so as to provide it with camouflage.
C) It should be nutritious.
D) It should secrete enzymes that can digest bark.
E) It should contain chemicals that cause birds to fly to the ground and vomit.
Parasitic members of the supergroup Excavata.
A phylogeny showing the major modern angiosperm lineages
Male fruit fly (Drosophila Melanogaster) on a blade of grass.
parasitic nematode worm
European Mistletoe
Genetic polymorphism for foraging behavior in fruit fly larvae