On the topic of wind-aided dispersal, some plants like the Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) have their seeds equipped with a feather-like tuft called a “pappus” which allows the seed to be lifted and carried by the wind. Milk Thistle is one of the many plants native to the Mediterranean region that has expanded its range into California and poses a competitive challenge to the native flora. Each flower can produce almost two hundred seeds and one plant, with many flowers, can produce thousands of seeds.
