Premise: In some (e.g. Castanea), the scales are developed into sharp spines, giving the nut protection from squirrels and other seed predators, while in others (e.g. most Quercus), they are not.
Hypothesis: In Castanea, the scales are developed into sharp spines, giving the nut protection from squirrels and other seed predators, while in most Quercus, they are not.