AbstractAlthough diaspores and the dispersal mechanisms are keystones to tackle the evolution of Eriocaulaceae, most of the useful information is lost in taxonomic and morphological papers in a more or less unstructured way. This survey intends thus to summarize and organize the relevant information available and point new insights. Observations and photographs were made in the field, together with complementary experiments. The seeds are the smallest dispersal units and are released by the shrinkage of the pericarp. They are rarely dispersed alone but normally within the fruits or parts of it. The fruits can be released from the capitula by different systems: shrinkage of the dry receptacle and consequent release of all flowers and fruits or only the fruits, anemoballistic mechanism, catapult mechanism, and elevator mechanism. The capitula, with scapes or not, may serve as dispersal units as well. The different dispersal mechanisms seem to be deeply related to the geographic distribution of Eriocaulaceae species and may serve also to taxonomic and phylogenetic purposes. From the current stand point we encourage future studies in this area, explicitly associated with molecular studies on the population level. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)