needrain said:Can you tell if a plant has cryptocarpic fruit? Is it visible from the outside of the cactus?
Apparently it may bulge outward on some plants, and there's a membrane which breaks open to release the seeds little by little. So you might see bulges in the axils or little holes with seeds spilling out of them. There's an interesting picture here:
http://llifle.eu/Encyclopedia/...
I don't really see any advantage for cryptocarpic fruit. Having long-lasting seed may be an advantage in a setting where rain is limiting, and there's only enough rain for germination every few years. But I suspect these plants pay a big price in dispersal. A few of them are threatened, vulnerable or endangered.
