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Fruit and seeds of a maple tree.
The winged fruit of a maple tree, Acer sp. The fruit is composed of two winged seeds that spin in the manner of a helicopter rotor. As a result the seeds fall to the ground much more slowly and may be carried by the wind up to 200 metres from the tree before landing. Wind dispersal of seeds is common and is achieved in numerous ways, such as in very small seeds that are blown as dust, or in tumbleweeds, where a whole shoot system is bowled along the ground, shedding its seeds as it moves. Winged fruits and seeds are only fully effective in trees, since unpowered flight is viable only if begun at a reasonable height.
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