Why tumbleweeds may be more science fiction than Old West

Salsola plants form tangled balls of dead foliage to spread their seeds

tumbleweeds

When mature and dry, Salsola plants separate from their roots and roll around to spread their seeds, forming tumbleweeds.

Jon Sullivan/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Spotting a tumbleweed doesn’t necessarily mean you’re anywhere near the O.K.