Organism
Mayapple
TL;DR
The seed simulates and counts winter, spring, summer, and another winter - extraordinary caution encoded in biochemistry.
Mayapple seeds demonstrate extreme developmental dormancy requirements - requiring 18 months of specific temperature sequences (cold, then warm, then cold again) before the embryo is ready to germinate. The seed simulates and counts winter, spring, summer, and another winter - extraordinary caution encoded in biochemistry.
Notable Traits of Mayapple
- 18-month developmental dormancy
- Counts two winters before germinating