Teasels

From a family walk between Loddon Bridge and Dinton Pastures in 2008: the dried seed heads of fuller's teasel (Dipsacus fullonum).  Before the 20th Century these were widely used in the textile industry to raise the nap (ie: tease out the fibres) of wool and other fabrics, even being incorporated into machinery to do this.

Photos taken at Dinton Pastures, Winnersh, near Reading, UK, on 2008-09-28.