Serotiny

Serotiny is an ecological adaptation exhibited by some seed plants, in which seed release occurs in response to an environmental trigger, rather than spontaneously at seed maturation. The most common and best studied trigger is fire. However, the term serotiny refers more broadly to plants that release their seeds over a long period of time, irrespective of the trigger or whether release is spontaneous. In this sense, the term is synonymous with bradyspory.