This is a picture of a Geranium fruiting structure. According to Wkikpedia, "The fruit is a unique schizocarp made of five (or three) achenes, in the lower part the achenes are inside the calyx, while the upper part (the stylar beak) is the style of the flower, looking like a kind of long beak over the achenes. When the fruit is mature the style breaks into five (or three) hygroscopically active (ready to absorb water) bristles that curl, causing the achenes to be released." I'm not sure whether this is Geranium molle or Geranium rotundifolium, they are both introduced species in the Santa Monica Mountains.
