It looks like the plant is stuck in place. But the seeds that sprouted them are designed to move. That’s the core idea behind the new exhibit at the Northern Arizona Museum in Flagstaff.

Vibrant close-up photographs by Taylor James show desert seeds in microscopic detail, with wings, hooks, and other structures that enable them to float, fly, and hitchhike to new locations. has become clear.

For example, the seed of a western flower called filary springs up like a spring until it explodes from the mother plant. The spear-shaped tip of the seed corkscrew is inserted into the ground. In effect they instill themselves.

Or take Devil’s Claw, which produces a giant seed pod with two hooks. Scientists believe this oversized design is a relic from a time when giant sloths roamed the landscape. Nowadays, the devil’s claws are more and more caught on the feet of cows and people. It has been cultivated for generations by indigenous peoples of the Southwest, such as the Havasupai and Hualapai.

Another ingenious way for seeds to move from place to place is in the animal’s belly. Rattlesnakes feed on rodents with seeds packed in their cheeks. These seeds emerge from the snake’s digestive system intact and ready to germinate, along with a bolus of manure to initiate germination.

The exhibit, “Designed to Move,” was created by the Center for Biomimicry at Arizona State University and will be on display at the Northern Arizona Museum until next spring.

This Earth Note was written by Melissa Sevigny and produced by KNAU and Northern Arizona University’s Sustainable Communities Program.