Animal, vegetable or....? Can you help with id

[Bruce Williams]

Thank you all for your input .

Paul - I would estimate the "seed" to have a diameter of ~2-3mm. Maybe this full frame image might give you a better idea of it's size relative to the moss:



Bruce

[Jez]

Goosegrass is a member of the bedstraws (Gallium). Ladys bedstraw and Hedge both have smooth fruits but cleavers (a favourite food of Geese) the fruit has hooked spines just like the one in the pic and being that its only a few mm i'm most certain it's what we're looking at!

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Jez. I've just done a Google (Image) search on "cleavers" and there's a couple of pics of cleaver seed which IMO confirm your opinion. See:

Notice the same hooked spines
dkimages - discover - plants - Galium aparine (Goosegrass, Cleavers, Sticky Willie)

scroll page to find pics
Cleavers" Farmnote 87/1996

Bruce

[Dan Salter]

I said it first !

[Bruce Williams]

...and I had not forgotten or overlooked that fact Dan. The mistake was mine in not Googling on cleavers when you mentioned the name in your initial posting.

Bruce