Cranesbill

After yesterday's exertions it was good to have a quiet day at home. I ventured as far as the garden in search of a blip, and was attracted by the elegant curves of this seeed head. Wild geraniums have a unique method of seed dispersal: as the seedpod dries, it curls and shoots seeds into the air. Each small brown seed has a tail, which curls when dry and straightens when wet, moving the seed along the ground and eventually enabling it to burrow into the soil. Germination can take several months. The shape of the pointed seedpod gives the wild geranium its common name, cranesbill.