Ryan Strickland
DSC_0106
This photo was taken on
Friday, January 19, 2018. This wild blackberry vine was growing in a Dwarf Burford Holly shrub (Ilex cornuta "Burfodii Nana") outside of the suite services building on the campus of UNCW. Notice that the vine from the blackberry plant has small sharp thorns on it. This is the plants natural defense against predators that want to eat its fruit and plant material. The vine could also be using the dense holly shrub as shelter from predators such as birds. It can be assumed that if the predatory element was eliminated, the thorns would eventually go away by process of evolution.
DSC_0106
This photo was taken on
Friday, January 19, 2018. This wild blackberry vine was growing in a Dwarf Burford Holly shrub (Ilex cornuta "Burfodii Nana") outside of the suite services building on the campus of UNCW. Notice that the vine from the blackberry plant has small sharp thorns on it. This is the plants natural defense against predators that want to eat its fruit and plant material. The vine could also be using the dense holly shrub as shelter from predators such as birds. It can be assumed that if the predatory element was eliminated, the thorns would eventually go away by process of evolution.