Wind Dispersal Of Artichoke Seeds
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Noteworthy Plants For February 1999

Wild Artichoke Wind Dispersal Photos

Blossom and seed head of wild thistle artichoke (Cynara cardunculus). The head contains a mass of "parachute seeds," each with a crown of plumose hairs that become airborne with the slightest gust of wind. Like miniature parachutes, the one-seeded fruits (called achenes) land in vast areas of open land and have become a troublesome weed in southern California.

The mature seed head of wild thistle artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) contains a mass of "parachute seeds," each with a crown of plumose hairs that become airborne with the slightest gust of wind. Like minute parachutes, the one-seeded fruits (called achenes) may invade open fields, turning grazing land into thickets of spiny artichokes.

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