Main conclusion The recalcitrant seeds of Brosimum alicastrum , a widespread tropical tree, have an exceptional ability to resist desiccation, which we propose has contributed to the dominance of the species across a broad precipitation gradient in forests of Latin America. Abstract Seed desiccation sensitivity is relatively common in tree species of tropical rain forests. For such species, pre-germination survival may be as i...

The international spread of the myrtle rust pathogen, Austropuccinia psidii , can be largely attributed to the “pandemic” biotype that has more than 450 host species. However, within South America, the putative native range of A. psidii , multiple biotypes have been characterised, each with a restricted known number of hosts. These biotypes may pose a significant biosecurity threat to countries already affected by the pandemic...

Chatham Island forget‐me‐not Myosotidium hortensia (Boraginaceae) is a monotypic genus endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. Myosotidium hortensia is threatened in its natural environment by introduced grazing animals and weeds. Further to this, the conservation and reintroduction efforts of M. hortensia are hindered by their dormant seeds. The dormancy is imposed by the seed coat but the underlying dormancy mechanism...