It is well known that over millions of years plants have evolved and adapted their seeds dispersal strategies to ensure that their progeny reaches new places where hopefully they will be able to germinate, thrive, and continue the cycle of life.
Yet, every time I witness their ingenious ways of doing so, I wonder and cannot help but express my admiration: explosive capsules, seeds with ‘wings’ and other flying ‘apparatuses’, floating devices, ‘bait’ for ants, rewards for animals, and so on…
A couple of days ago, I captured by chance a Stylophorum diphyllum capsule already opened, with the seeds rolling down:
Stylophorum diphyllum – split capsule
Distracted by the Arisaemas showing up, I almost missed the Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossom’! It’s not enough that the follicles are opening without warning, they also do it gradually.
Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossom’
Then, in the woods I managed to collect a few Thalictrum thalictroides seeds (formerly Anemonella); they are still green when ripe, but only a small touch and in an instant the achene cluster will disintegrate between your fingers.
Thalictrum thalictroides cluster of ‘seeds’
There are many other notorious ‘seed defectors’ like: Corydalis, Epimedium, Anemone quinquefolia, Hepatica, Spigelia, Viola spp.…to name just a few.
Catch them if you can :)
