Our silvery mystery seeds from last week were from Lindley’s silver puffs, Microseris lindleyi.
I have to admit these were tough ones to identify. I have only seen them at the Desert Botanical Garden on the wildflower trail and in a botanically-minded friend’s yard. They do grow throughout the western United States, however.
The seed heads are somewhat reminiscent of a dandelion, but the parasol is thicker and silvery in color.
I don’t have any photographs of the flowers, but they have interesting pointed green bracts that make them look star-shaped, giving them their other common name “starpoint.” Firefly Forest has photographs of the silver puff plant and flowers. Wildflowers in Santa Barbara also has silverpuff photographs.
I believe I have one in my garden in the West Midlands UK.
16th May 2014.
Has it flowered and made seeds?
It has flowered for two or three days but will not open today.
Apart from the flowering head it has two more heads, not yet opened.
A very sunny day today.
One of the other flower heads opened today.
Managed to get a photo this time.
The seed heads are quite lovely when they form. I have a slightly better photograph here http://roberta3.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/lindleys-silver-puffs/.