Close-up photos of seeds reveal their complex beauty

From the most majestic giant sequoias to the most delicate herbs, plants have flourished since seeds emerged some 360 ​​million years ago. Seeds: A time capsule of life This series by visual artist Rob Kessler and botanist Wolfgang Stuppi combines scanning electron microscopy and close-up photography to explore these tiny wonders of nature.

In the image above on the left, delicate leaf-like structures called sepals surround the fruit of a Peruvian apple (Nicandra PhysarodesTo the right of that is a cross section of a blue passion flower, 3.4 millimeters wide (Passiflora caerulea) The ovary contains mature ovules which, when fertilized, develop into seeds.

The striated, textured fruitlets of the yellow-flowering ScutellariaGoldsmith’s vine) are shown above. Nuts are very small versions of nuts, which are fruits with a hard outer shell and a dry seed inside.

of Mesembryanthemum tetragonumA small shrub native to South Africa, this plant boasts spectacular bright red seeds measuring just 1.3mm in diameter (above, left). Next to it is a Douglas phacelia seed measuring just 0.8mm in length (Phacelia dagrasiiThe honeycomb seeds are Caeophora arechaballetaeThe flowers are so light that they can be blown away by the wind, as seen in the photo below: Pictured in the centre is a cross-section of the vibrant ovary of a 4mm-long Lady Margaret passion flower (main photo, top).

Life on Earth is amazing, says Stuppy: “Over millions of years, they’ve developed incredible adaptabilities that have helped them interact with animals and their environment.”