The two major groups of oaks--red and white--have seeds that differ generally in chemical makeup, says Smallwood. Red oak acorns are rich in fats but are laced with tannins, the compounds used to tan hides. White oak acorns are less fatty and lower in tannins. Red oak acorns lie dormant in winter and sprout in spring; white oak seeds usually sprout soon after falling to the ground in autumn.
The researchers found that in those red oak acorns that were eaten, frequently only the top half--the end farthest from the embryo--were consumed. Because the embryos were not destroyed, these damaged red oak acorns also germinated.
The germination and the bitter-tasting tannins might explain why a white oak acorn is more likely to be consumed on the spot and why only the top half of a red acorn is eaten.
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