I was pulling out weeds in my garden and I have one particular weed that will "shoot" its seeds at me. Its leaves are narrow and its about 6 inches tall. When I reach out and touch it, the seeds pods explodes and I guess that's how the seeds get scattered. Can anyone identify this plant? I find it so interesting.
Ron B is probably right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamine Cardamine oligosperma - Idaho Bittercress, Little Western Bittercress, Annual Bittercress
Thanks. I think you guys are right. Its shotweed. I want to find out more about how it does the explosion.
I might be completely off, but the way it works in Mulberries, which hold the speed record for plant movement of that type (although they eject pollen, not seeds), is this. There are tiny compressed filaments, like springs, coiled up within the pod structure. Any minute direct movement of the pod, like brushing it, is enough to trigger their release, which causes the seed (or pollen) to shoot out of its casing at fairly rapid velocities. I've seen Cardamines shoot in heavy rainstorms, as well as when touched.
