Persistent inner tepals and wings protect developing seeds of Rheum nanum from insect herbivory in Central Asian cold deserts

Although the post-dispersal functions of diaspore (fruit and its appendages) have been reported, little is known about their protective/defensive functions. In this context, Rheum nanum diaspores with appendages (persistent inner tepals and/or fruit wings) that experienced pre-dispersal herbivory by insects in natural populations of Rheum nanum were investigated, i.e., the percentage of diaspores with appendages damaged by insects; The data of the seed abortion percentage, seed and embryo masses, and germination of seeds from diaspores with different categories of insect herbivory of R. nanum. 
These experimental indices were used to answer the following questions: 
(1) How prevalent is pre-dispersal insect herbivory in natural populations of R. nanum?
(2) Do seeds abort when diaspores receive pre-dispersal insect herbivory? 
(3) What are the impacts of pre-dispersal insect herbivory on seed mass and germination of R. nanum?, Investigate the diaspores with appendages (persistent inner tepals and/or fruit wings) that experienced pre-dispersal herbivory by insects in natural populations of Rheum nanum; measure and compare the seed abortion percentage, seed and embryo masses, and germination of seeds from diaspores with different categories of insect herbivory. 
All data were expressed as the mean ± SE. To meet the requirements of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), all data were analyzed for normality and homogeneity of variance before analysis. If data were normal and homogeneous, they were subjected to further analysis. If data exhibited a nonnormal distribution or variances were not homogeneous, treatment differences were assessed by using the more conservative Kruskal‒Wallis nonparametric test.
The Kruskal‒Wallis nonparametric test was used to determine if there were differences in the percentage of diaspores with different categories of insect herbivory in natural populations, seed abortion in diaspores..., , # Data from: Persistent inner tepals and wings protect developing seeds of *Rheum nanum* from insect herbivory in Central Asian cold deserts

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2ngf1vhxz](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2ngf1vhxz)

*Rheum nanum* diaspores with appendages (persistent inner tepals and/or fruit wings) that experienced pre-dispersal herbivory by insects in natural populations of *Rheum nanum* were investigated, i.e., the percentage of diaspores with appendages damaged by insects; The data of the seed abortion percentage, seed and embryo masses, and germination of seeds from diaspores with different categories of insect herbivory of *R. nanum.*

## Description of the data and file structure

The data of *Rheum nanum* include the percentage of diaspores damaged by insects (Worksheets named HerbivoryPercentageP1, HerbivoryPercentageP2, HerbivoryPercentageP3, and HerbivoryPercentageP4), seed abortion percentage (Worksheet named SeedAbortion), seed and embryo masses (Worksheet named M...