Originating in temperate regions of Eurasia and Africa, Erodium cicutarium, the common stork-bill ha
Originating in temperate regions of Eurasia and Africa, Erodium cicutarium, the common stork-bill has become naturalized and often invasive throughout the world. Despite the fact that California does have a native species of Erodium (Erodium texanum), I have almost never seen any other than cicutarium growing. While being annoyingly widespread and persistent, it still holds charm for me due to the magic of its seeds. I remember learning as a kid that if you got one of the fruits at just the right moment of dryness, a tiny twist or flick would set the seeds to exploding off or violently twisting up around the main stem. This moisture-driven characteristic is responsible not just for seed dispersal, but also for screwing the seed into soil as the tail finds purchase on the ground. To further add to its ability to spread, each seed is covered with stiff bristles which allow it to hitch a ride on fabric or fur, and when a lot of animals eat the plant, foliage and fruit, that’s a lot of conveyance. Sadly, this introduced species outcompetes many native plants in the same community which drives down biodiversity and even detrimentally impacts forage which causes economic ramifications. Even more unfortunately, this plant loves to be caught on fire, and can be challenging to pull one let alone thousands, which leaves only chemical options which can cause collateral damage across the environment. -- source link
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