Annual desert plant species of unrelated taxa in the Negev Desert of
Israel have developed complementary sets of adaptations and survival
strategies as ecological equivalents with physiological, morphological
and anatomical resemblances, in the various stages of their life cycles.
After 40 years of research in hot deserts Yitzchak Gutterman provides a
comprehensive treatise of such adaptations and strategies. In doing so
he covers the following topics: post-maturation primary seed dormancy,
which prevents germination of maturing seeds before the summer; seed
dispersal mechanisms with escape or protection strategies; cautious or
opportunistic germination strategies; seedling drought tolerance. The
day-length is an important factor in regulating flowering as well as the
phenotypic plasticity of seed germination which is also affected by
maternal factors.