Genus Erodium
StorksBill
This Geranium has a distinctive fruit:
At maturity, the style becomes straight and long, and resembles the head of a crane.The fruit has five single seeded compartments that eventually separate and each dried tail forms a spirialing coil.The structure aids in anchoring and digging into the soil.
Mediterranean
Flowers:
Stamens, Anthers five
60 species
Species cicutarium
Species Cicutarium
Cicutarium StorksBill
Callie found this field in Chico CA.Well, I actually found it; She is only seconding the motion.
Before her time, 40 years ago before there were buildings here, I played with my baby son. We played in these same pink flowers.
One time in particular...
My son had grown to be about 3 or 4, and he loved baby chickens. We walked into the middle of this same field, and we sat down.We sat down to witness the release of a handful of baby chicks. They were released free in these pink flowers. Joseph's face lit up to see the chicks scratching and peeping. He was bussy safeguarding and caring for these little vulnerable peepers, so full of fun. Fun for them and fun for us.
Before this land became an industrial park, there was only a broadcast building, and two broadcast towers. The land belonged to KHSL-AM Radio. And I worked for the company. The miles of empty fields are gone now, except for the hold out places, full of pink flowers. Pink flowers and fond memories are remnants of a lost time.
The pink flowers will eventually mature into the fruit; these long Stork Bills. Some are starting to mature in the middle of March.
