Cranesbill Seedhead

Description:

Species in the Geranium genus have a distinctive mechanism for seed dispersal. This consists of a beak-like column which springs open when ripe and casts the seeds some distance. The fruit capsule consists of five cells each containing one seed, joined to a column produced from the centre of the old flower. The common name cranesbill comes from the shape of the un-sprung column, which in some species is long and looks like the bill of a crane.

Habitat:

The garden is about half an acre of native plants specifically planted for wildlife. The main water source is a pond that is filtered by two gravel streams. It is on a peninsula by Lake Lewisville, TX.