The Amazing Dandelion

One of the things I like best about photography is that it makes me look more closely at seemingly common subjects. Last year I noted that the Dandelion has evolved a truly amazing mechanism to ensure that the flowers have the best chance of pollination and the subsequent seeds of dispersal.

The flower is borne on an upright stem above the leaves to attract insects. When pollination has occurred the stem grows/bends downward so that the dead flowerhead with the developing seeds is now at ground level below the flowers. When the seeds are ripe and ready for dispersal, some growth or turgidity mechanism causes the seed head to be lifted above the flowers and leaves for dispersal of the parachute seeds by the wind.

I would love to know what physiological processes are involved if there are any botanists out there.