would you say that a wisteria is an autochore?
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners regarding the application of the botanical term “autochore”.
Yes, wisteria is an autochore as it uses an autochory method of seed distribution. An autochore is a plant which disperses its seeds without aid of an external agent. The wisteria seed pod is the dispersal unit (diaspore) which pops open explosively, ejecting its seeds several feet around the plant. That being said, this is not the primary method by which wisteria spreads. The non-native species, Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) may spread aggressively through its root system.
For more information, please refer to:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/wisteria/grow-wisteria-seeds.htm
http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/top/glossarya_h.html
Thank you for your interesting question.