More Miscellaneous Wind-Blown Seed Photos
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Noteworthy Plants For February 1999

More Miscellaneous Wind-Blown Seed Photos

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum), a tufted, perennial grass native to South Africa. The plumose flower stalks fragment into seed-bearing spikelets that blow into the wind. Although it makes an attractive, drought-resistant landscaping plant along walkways and roads, this plant is becoming a widespread weed in disturbed areas of southern California (San Diego County).

Shrubs In The Rose Family With Feathery Styles

Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus minutiflorus), a native shrub in the chaparral of southern California. The one-seeded fruit (achene) has a single, persistent, feathery style that glistens in the sunlight. Although they usually don't travel very far, the achenes are blown into the air by strong gusts of wind during the dry, fire season of late summer and fall. This species is not related to the West Indian mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) or the Honduran mahogany (S. macrophylla), members of the true Mahogany Family (Meliaceae). Mountain Mahogany actually belongs to the Rose Family (Rosaceae) and produces very hard wood that sinks in water when dry (with a specific gravity greater than 1.0).

Cliff rose (Cowania mexicana var. stansburyana). Like mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus), this species has conspicuous plumose styles, except it typically has multiple styles per flower. This shrub grows in the high desert ranges of eastern California and Arizona. It is often placed in the genus Purshia.

Cliff rose (Cowania mexicana var. stansburyana). Like mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus), this species has conspicuous plumose styles, except it typically has multiple styles per flower. This shrub grows in the high desert ranges of eastern California. It is often placed in the genus Purshia.

Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa). Like mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus) and cliff rose (Cowania), this species has also has conspicuous plumose styles except it has numerous styles per flower. It is common in Arizona, especially in the Grand Canyon region.

Flower of Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa). The blossoms are typical of the rose family (Rosaceae) with many stamens, pistils and petals.

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