Those flowers inevitably die, become desiccated and take on a new form; burrs large and small whose tiny prongs are meant by nature to become dispersed throughout the woods, proliferating future outcrops of wildflowers. They are carried by the wind as they dry and become lighter, and they adhere to the feathers of birds and furry creatures who inadvertently pick them up on their bodies as they brush by the drying plants.
Later to be deposited here and there where they establish themselves in the rich humus of the forest floor and in the spring go into action to colonize new areas.
And some of those furry creatures are more than usually susceptible to picking up those burrs as they wander about through the bracken curious about everything they come across. Small dogs like our two with their silky, long hair in particular attract the burrs that have a habit of burrowing deep into their haircoats.
When we return from our daily woodland hikes a ritual ensues whereby we lift our two little fellows atop the laundry pair in the laundry room and proceed to wash their small paws of the detritus they pick up in the ravine. We run our hands along their legs and bodies looking for ticks, and we invariably discover the presence of burrs that have infiltrated their haircoats.
Which means the process becomes more complicated, as we attempt to pick them out, irritating our little guys no end, at times. Some of the larger burrs prove impossible to tease out and away and those have to be cut out, taking some of their hair along with them. Others, small and pervasive, cling in clusters or closely dispersed, and we pick-pluck-pick-pluck until we think they've all been captured.
And this is just the beginning leading into fall; there will be far more of those drying flowerheads turning into burrs in the months to come....
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