There is much more to a seed than the plant it will someday become: seeds, seedheads, pods, and fruits have their own astounding beauty that rivals, and sometimes even surpasses, the beauty of flowers. Photographed against a white background, dozens of seeds can be seen here up close and in all their glory, distinct from their environment. Shown in their sometimes unfamiliar early stages, here are the fluffy milkweed and the resplendent dill, the mysterious lotus and the peculiar screwbean mesquite. In the accompanying texts, Teri Dunn Chace provides information on the basic characteristics of the plants and singles out intriguing facts about these extravagant seeds.