The Fruit of the Mistletoe, a Parasitic Angiosperm, Is a One-Seeded

Multiple Choice

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? It should _________.

A) be drab in color
B) be colored so as to provide it with camouflage
C) be nutritious to the dispersing organisms
D) secrete enzymes that can digest bark
E) contain chemicals that cause birds to fly to the ground and vomit