Nebraskaland

August-September 2023 • Nebraskaland 25 Tickclovers Tickclover, aka tick- trefoil (Desmodium sp.) plants are perennial legumes with three- part leaves found in both prairies and woodlands. Many of the grassland species have beautiful fl owers that attract lots of pollinating insects, and the leaves and stems of younger plants are highly sought out by grazing cattle. Except for showy tickclover (Desmodium canadensis), which is statewide, most species are restricted to the eastern one-third of Nebraska. The fruits of tickclover plants are called "loments" and are covered with tiny hooked hairs. They weren't, as far as I can tell, but they could have been the inspiration for Velcro® because they work the same way. They adhere so well to most shirt and pants fabric, and especially to socks, that they can usually survive a trip through the laundry, much to the frustration of people hoping for an easy way to get rid of them. Each loment is like an envelope that contains a single very hard-coated seed. Virginia Stickseeds Virginia Stickseed (Hackellia virginiana) is a short-lived, biennial forb with small fl owers. It is the most common of the three Hackellia species in Nebraska and is found mostly in the eastern half of the state, but also in places in the northwest. Stickseed grows in wooded areas, including right along the edges where a dog or human child might easily encounter them without having to work very hard. The fruits of stickseed are called "nutlets," which sound fun, and are found in clusters of four along the long fl owering stems of the plant. The nutlets are covered with little barbed prickles that are extraordinarily good at sticking to clothing and fur. Prickle, by the way, is a technical botanical term that also refers to the spiny parts of rose stems. Fortunately, the prickles on stickseed nutlets are small enough that they aren't painful to the touch of anyone trying to scrape them off of pants or gently pry them from the fur of a dog. .............................................................................................. Because most of us aren't botanists, the commonly- used names of many of these sticky-seeded plants are used interchangeably. As a result, when you post a selfi e showing off a particularly nice spread of stickseed nutlets on your pant leg, some of your friends might use names like beggar's- lice, beggar-ticks or sticktight in their comments. That's OK. The important thing is to celebrate the eff ectiveness of the seed dispersal strategies of these plants, regardless of what you call them. Even as you revel in the amazing adaptations of these sticky seeds, however, you will probably want to remove them from your clothing or pets. There is no single best way to do this. In some cases, a comb can help remove cockleburs or sandburs from clothing without getting your fi ngers poked by the sharp spines. If you have to use your fi ngers, many people recommend wetting your fi ngers fi rst to make the process less painful. I'm not sure why that works. In other cases, you'll probably have to come up with your own innovative tactics for seed removal. Otherwise, the standard method is to simply pry them off one at a time while humming a little tune to yourself to make the time pass pleasantly. Try to avoid more drastic measures such as shaving your dog, burning your clothes or using foul language. Most importantly, take time to marvel at the various and inventive ways these plants have found to transport their potential off spring to new locales. Don't whine about those spines. Don't be a cur about those burs. Celebrate your moments with those loments and admire the stick-to-it-ness of the seeds that have chosen you to help them travel the world. N Showy tickclover (Desmodium canadensis) at Deep Well Wildlife Management Area in Hamilton County. Stickseeds (Hackelia sp) and foxtail (Setaria sp) on pants.

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