Bizarre Seed Patterns in Plants of the Indian Arid Zone

A comparative study of seeds of 46 plant species which abound in cultivated fields of the Indian arid zone has been made. A variety of new seed patterns discovered, some bizarre, are de-scribed. Seeds were categorized on the basis of their weights into five groups. The seeds of Polycarpaea corymbosa were found to be lightest of the species studied. Most frequently the seed weight varied among species of the same genus and among different gen-era of the same family. Similarly great variations in seed size were met. In general, lighter seeds were small in size and heavier ones large. The seed surfaces varied from smooth and glossy to or-namented and rough. The seeds of Farsetia hamiltonii possessed wings which increased their surface area. The color of the seeds in most cases was brownish- yellow to dark brown. Only few seeds were black. Description and illustration of the diversity will perhaps hasten an understanding of the developmental sequences and adaptive values (under arid conditions) of the bizarre seed patterns