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They do, but much like a potato the outer skin contains the germination layer. Exposure to salt water and sunlight slowly destroys this, and salt water dehydrat
by sitharus 9y ago
They do, but much like a potato the outer skin contains the germination layer. Exposure to salt water and sunlight slowly destroys this, and salt water dehydrates the inner flesh. They do not survive to germinate.
- scottie_m 9y agocould the potatoes plausibly be encased in something else, like a mixture of clay, wood, and other detritus from a mudslide? Maybe even a really light, but tough layer of volcanic ash and mud, and then the whole thing is washed out to sea? You only need one lucky tater to make the journey after all. If the mixture of debris is right, it could float and stick together even in water for quite a long time. Ash wood to keep it buoyant, clay as a binder, with the clay baking in the sun. Then it all goes to sea, and protects the spud for enough of the journey that it’s still viable?
- steve_adams_86 9y agoI suspect if the potato was encased in ash and mud, floating in average ocean surface temperatures (away from the poles), it would attempt to germinate. Tubers love trying to grow. If it did, it would break apart its case in no time. That's just a hunch I have. Maybe you're right, and the ash or something in a particular clay would inhibit germination. There are so many variables. It's fun to think about - I often wonder how some plants haven't ended up in certain places over the last millions of years.
- sitharus 9y agoA seed transported by bird is more likely in my (pretty uninformed) opinion than a tuber. As a relative of the bindweed it produces a small fruit that is eaten by birds.