Twisting Weed

[Nifty]

This thing is the coolest. I always took it for granted, but when I stopped to think about it, it is pretty amazing!

Check out my video (sped up 10 times): http://www.nifty-stuff.com/images/weed-10x.wmv

and my page:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/twisting-weed.php

 

[bluebird]

What is it?

 

[Buff Shallots]

Nifty, I wrote a dumb response before I actually checked out the twisting weed page you linked. You answered my question. That is really cool. What's the Latin name?

 

[Nifty]

Per my sister-in-laws father I found out what this weed is! From his email: This is fascinating! Im sure this weed is filaree. There are several species so I dont know of which one you took pictures. One of the common names is storksbill. Enjoyed your site.

 

[LisaJean]

It's an alien Spiral Seed. They burrow into your brain via your ear, and link you to the alien's Mother Ship. Then they use it to control you.

 

[Buff Shallots]

LisaJean - you've recognized the plant-based sister organization to the Kingdom of Evil Silkies! I'd watch your back if I were you!

 

[country freedom]

LisaJean - you've recognized the plant-based sister organization to the Kingdom of Evil Silkies! I'd watch your back if I were you!

 

[Mothergoat]

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Geraniaceae/Erodium_cicutarium.html

I remember the "red stem filaree" used to grow all over the place where I grew up, on the edge of the Delta, just east of SF Bay Area. We used to make a slit in one of the little green spears and poke a second "spear" through the slit, making a tiny pair of "scissors." We played a lot out in the fields, we didn't have video games. Heck, we had black and white TV! Geez, I AM old. The little corkscrews used to get caught in longhaired animals' fur, and they would sometimes dig into the skin. Nasty. But the plants were pretty, and interesting. Thanks for bringing back memories!

 

[Nifty]

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Geraniaceae/Erodium_cicutarium.html

I remember the "red stem filaree" used to grow all over the place where I grew up, on the edge of the Delta, just east of SF Bay Area. We used to make a slit in one of the little green spears and poke a second "spear" through the slit, making a tiny pair of "scissors." We played a lot out in the fields, we didn't have video games. Heck, we had black and white TV! Geez, I AM old. The little corkscrews used to get caught in longhaired animals' fur, and they would sometimes dig into the skin. Nasty. But the plants were pretty, and interesting. Thanks for bringing back memories!

Ah.. the Delta... listed as one of the top 10 best places to water-ski in the world! We usually launch out by Discovery Bay.

Too funny, we use to make scissors with them all the time too (were we neighbors?)

The other thing we'd do is take them and stick them in the end of our Daily BB gun and shoot them into soft stuff (point blank) and watch it skewer stuff.

 

[Mothergoat]

My sis used to teach elementary school at Discovery Bay. I went swimming in the sloughs a few times, but you always got out of the water smelling funny. Mind you, this was 40+ years ago. We had problems with saline intrusion from SF Bay, so much water was going south through the big canal/aqueduct out there by Byron. The striped bass were disappearing at that time, and you never saw salmon there any more. They told you not to eat the fish more than once a month because of mercury in their flesh. Maybe they've cleaned things up these days? I hope so. I've been gone from there a long time.
Linda