Wind-dispersed plants have evolved ingenious ways to lift their seeds. The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) uses a bundle of drag-enhancing bristles that helps to keep their seeds aloft. A new study, led by University of Edinburgh researchers Ignazio Maria Viola and Naomi Nakayama, shows that movement of air around and within the dandelion’s parachute-shaped bundle enables seeds to travel great distances. The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)....
