Red Stem Filaree Flowers Mug

Red Stem Filaree Flowers Mug - These are the flowers of the Red Stem Filaree (Erodium cicutarium), also known as common stork's-bill,, redstem stork's bill or pinweed. There are many articles devoted to the eradication of this "weed" but I believe that there are no weeds... just flowers out of place. The seeds of the filaree are fascinating. When the seeds dry sufficiently, they launch themselves away from the mother plant by spring action... when the humidity is right, the straight part of the seed become helical and coils up with enough energy to propel it away from the plant. From there, when they land on the ground, humidity changes cause the seed to bury itself in the ground by humidity changes that cause the straight part of the stem to become helical (coiled) and back again. Until it the seed is "screwed" into the ground. .... Fascinating!! This photo was taken in our back yard, in the Sierra Foothills