Dual design seeds
10th July 2010, Saturday
Summer is flying by and the seeds of the stinking hawk’s-beard are starting to disperse (or being eaten by goldfinches). The fruits of this plant (achenes) come in two forms. The outer ones (see above) have a short stem and are not wind dispersed. They stay attached to the plant, wrapped in a bract and drop to the ground in the autumn as the stems fall apart.
The achenes in the centre of the plant have a longer stem attaching the seed to the feathery white pappus and are said to be beaked. It is these achenes that disperse in the wind, dandelion-like.
