Puzzles

[mark smyth]

in the pod

[daveyp1970]

some sort of catchfly seed Mark

[mark smyth]

Davey, Anthony revealed the answer - Common Corncockle Agrostemma githago

[Richard Green]

Corncockles have been almost entirely exterminated by modern weedkillers in the UK.

There used to be a colony in a purposely un-improved arable field at Weeting Heath National Nature Reserve in Norfolk which I knew in the 1980s, although I am not sure if it is still there.

However, I am glad to learn that it is still available to see in Hertfordshire at least - along with some other desperately rare cornfield "weeds".  See here: http://rdnhs.org.uk/blog/?p=869.

[mark smyth]

and here are the seeds out of the seed pod

Richard I guess we could become guerilla gardeners by sowing corncockle seeds where we see distubed ground

[Maggi Young]

You're right, Mark, the ones in the link I gave were well and truly dried out!
They really are very attractive in your fresh state. The rounded knobbles and high shine were so unusual.
great puzzle!

[mark smyth]

Last photo shows the seed pod changing from green to brown and just cracking open

[Brian Ellis]

Really good puzzle Mark, well done.  The seeds are amazing.

[Armin]

Mark,
excellent puzzle - I had no idea... ! Indeed corncockles are rare today.

Still in my youth (end 60th) it was found regularly in the fields and we often made nice posies together with corn flowers, hollyhock and others.
I had grown them but lost it when I had to give up the garden 25 years ago. And I forgot how the seed looked like...

Richard,
I think it exterminated from the fields more by the use of 'trieur'(=devices used in grain mills who winnow/clean the grain from other seeds) and less of chemical weedkillers.

[Maggi Young]

Richard,
I think it exterminated from the fields more by the use of 'trieur'(=devices used in grain mills who winnow/clean the grain from other seeds) and less of chemical weedkillers.

 I think you are correct, Armin. The seed is poisonous so it was important to eradicate it from cereal crops.

[angie]

Never seen it or heard of it. Had us all puzzling for a while.

Angie

[Richard Green]

For whatever reason, it is a pity not to see the flowers around more often.

Funnily enough the seeds actually look dangerous in closeup with all those black, knobbly bumps all over them.  Reminds me of something nasty from "Dr Who".

[Maggi Young]

I know what you mean about Dr Who... I had a similar thought myself 


I see Chilterns list a few CornCockle forms:
http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/list.php?type=search&value=Agrostemma+githago

[jandals]

Richard I guess we could become guerilla gardeners by sowing corncockle seeds where we see distubed ground

  You could become SCATTER , Sowing Corncockle Action Team Tempting Ecological Restoration

[mark smyth]

I like it Jandals