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Who wants to be distracted by a little thread about how amazing plants are? (1/7)
See the little brown seed on these shoes?
See the little brown seed on these shoes?
(2/7) That is the seed of a Desmodium species, a member of the pea family. There are quite a few Desmodium species, but this particular one was a weed outside where I was staying in Salvador, Brazil until I was flown home because of coronavirus.
Note: Photo from Google.
Note: Photo from Google.
(3/7) Almost every time I left the house, I came home with Desmodium on my socks and shoes. My girlfriend's dogs were similarly afflicted. The little dots on Clara's face are all Desmodium seeds.
(4/7) So how long has this little seed been on my shoe? I flew back from Brazil on the 12th of March, so that is 20 days. Impressive!
Shout out to @RBGE_Science for getting me home so efficiently.
Shout out to @RBGE_Science for getting me home so efficiently.
(6/7) And how far have I carried this little seed?
Well these are my running shoes, and I record all my runs on Strava. So I know that since then I have run just over 100km.
Well these are my running shoes, and I record all my runs on Strava. So I know that since then I have run just over 100km.
(7/7) So this little seed has been holding on my shoes for 20 days and at least 100km. Amazing!
No wonder some plants are such effective invasive species, and no wonder some Desmodium are pantropical weeds.
No wonder some plants are such effective invasive species, and no wonder some Desmodium are pantropical weeds.
Footnote: this little seed has now been destroyed. It probably wouldn't have germinated in the UK, but plants have diseases too and we can't risk spreading them (ask @kjhayjay!) I also now know to clean my running shoes before and after a trip, not just my fieldwork shoes.
