Early bloomer.  Very tiny cross-shaped 4-petaled flowers, delicate seedpods.  Grow on tall stems, with progression from flower to seedpod along a single stem at the same time.  Stem is generally straight, but curved specimen was chosen for the first picture below to get more of the progression into limited space.  One of several members of the Mustard Family at Bridgeport.

Notes:  Also called Fringepod and Fringe Lace Pods.  Pods best observed when back-lighted.  Used for gruel-like soup, and tea for stomach aches and colic.  The seeds were ground, parched and made into flour.  It is common in open, grassy slopes.  High in vitamins A, B, and C.  Unopened flowers can be boiled and eaten.  The seeds were collected from dried pods. Caution: some species can be poisonous!  Related Cruciferae include: cabbage, radishes,  broccoli, and brussel sprouts.  Most mustards are yellow, some are white.

Click on species name below to go to USDA for this plant

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants 
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants 
        Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants 
            Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants 
                Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons 
                    Subclass Dilleniidae 
                        Order Capparales 
                            Family Brassicaceae -- Mustard family 
                                Genus Thysanocarpus Hook. -- fringepod 
                                    Species Thysanocarpus curvipes Hook. -- sand fringepod