Suaeda taxifolia

Suaeda taxifolia Standley
Woolly sea-blite

Family: Chenopodiaceae                                   

Habit:  Shrub to 15 dm., glabrous to densely hairy.

Distribution: Coastal bluffs, margins of salt marshes of southern California coast, Channel Islands to Baja California, Mexico.

Seed unit:  Utricle; free seed.

Seed: 1-2 mm., lenticular, shiny and black or brown.  Nearly circular, except for a slightly hooked projection and notch at the margin.  Often enclosed in a persistent calyx.

Embryo:  Spirally coiled embryo with a thin firm, semi-transparent endosperm on each side.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition: 
AOSA:  PSU#38 - Intact utricle with or without perianth, whether or not a seed is present. Piece of broken utricle larger than one-half the original size, unless no seed is present. Seed with or without seed coat.

Lab notes: Calyx may persist, covering the seed.  Seed is often brittle and empty.  Samples often contain many empty floral parts, which can be easily confused with pure seed units.

Average pure seed units per gram:  1476 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 8 samples received for testing from 1998 to 2003.

Range of percent pure seed:  36% to 53%

Range of percent inert: 46% to 62%

Description of inert:   Plant material, broken seed.

Planting instructions:  400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill recommended.                                                                     

References:  (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 515.
Martin, A.C. and W.D. Barkley.  1961.  p. 152.
Ransom Seed Laboratory

Suaeda moquinii

Suaeda moquinii (Torrey) E. Greene
Bush seepweed

Family:  Chenopodiaceae

Habit:  Shrub 2 to 15 dm., usually with slender, spreading branches; glabrous or hairy, glaucous.

Distribution:  Alkaline and saline places in the interior deserts of California to western Canada, Texas and Mexico.

Seed unit:  Utricle; free seed.

Seed:    Free seed 0.5 to 1 mm., biconvex, shiny and black.  Nearly circular except for a slightly hooked projection and notch on the margin.  Often enclosed in a persistent calyx.

Embryo:  Spirally coiled embryo with a thin, firm, semi-transparent endosperm on each side.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition: 
AOSA:  PSU #38 – Intact utricle with or without perianth, whether or not a seed is present.  Piece of broken utricle larger than one-half the original size, unless no seed is present.  Seed with or without seed coat.

Lab notes:  Calyx may persist, covering the seed.  Seed is often brittle and empty.  Samples often contain many empty floral parts, which can be easily confused with pure seed units.

Average pure seed units per gram:  2,069 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 11 samples received for testing from 1999 to 2003).     

Range of percent pure seed:   6% to 63%

Range of percent inert: 36% to 92%

Description of inert:  Plant material, broken seed, dead insects.

Planting instructions:  400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill recommended.

References:  (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 515.
Martin, A.C. and W.D. Barkley.  1961.  p. 152.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 383.
Ransom Seed Laboratory

Suaeda californica

Suaeda californica Wats.
California sea-blite

Family: Chenopodiaceae

Habit: Shrub 3 to 8 dm., mound-like, glabrous or sparsely hairy with spreading pale green or reddish branches.

Distribution: Rare; found in the margins of coastal salt marshes from San Francisco Bay to California’s central coast.

Seed unit: Utricle; free seed.

Seed: Free seed 1.5 to 2 mm., lens shaped, biconvex, with rounded margins.  Nearly circular except for a slightly hooked projection and notch on the margin.  Shiny and black although often enclosed in a persistent calyx. 

Embryo:  Spirally coiled embryo (peripheral embryo) with a thin, firm, semi-transparent endosperm on each side.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition:  
AOSA:  PSU#38 – Intact utricle with or without perianth, whether or not a seed is present. Piece of broken utricle larger than one-half the original size, unless no seed is present. Seed with or without seed coat.

Lab notes: Calyx may persist, covering the seed.  Seed is often brittle and empty.  Samples often contain many empty floral parts, which can be easily confused with pure seed units.

Average pure seed units per gram:  1,097 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 4 samples received for testing from 1997 to 2002).

Range of percent pure seed: 20% to 41%

Range of percent inert: 58% to 79%

Description of inert: Plant material, broken seed.

Planting instructions: 400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill recommended.

References: (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 515
Martin, A.C. and W.D. Barkley.  1961.  p. 152
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 384
Ransom Seed Laboratory

Atriplex lentiformis

Atriplex lentiformis (Torr.) Wats.
Big saltbush

Family:  Chenopodiaceae

Habit:  Shrub,  8 to 30 dm., generally wider than tall, gray-scurfy when young.

Distribution:  Found in alkaline or saline washes, dry lakes, shrubland, California’s San Joaquin Valley, Mojave and Colorado Deserts, to Utah and Baja California.

Seed unit:  Utricle or free seed.

Seed:   Seed enclosed in a pair of appressed bracts.  Seeds are circular to oblong, brown, approximately 1.5 mm.  The outline of the ringlike embryo is evident on the exterior, along the margin, its radicle tip protruding. 

Embryo:   Peripheral embryo.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition: 
AOSA:  PSU #38 – Intact utricle with or without perianth, whether or not a seed is present.  Piece of broken utricle larger than one-half the original size, unless no seed is present.  Seed with or without seed coat.  Piece of broken seed with or without seed coat, larger than one-half the original size.

Lab notes:  A diaphanoscope may be helpful in conducting the purity on this species.

Average pure seed units per gram:  1,043 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 62 samples received for testing from 1992 to 2004).

Range of percent pure seed:   63 to 97%

Range of percent inert:  3 to 36%

Description of inert:   Broken seed, dead insects, plant material.

Planting instructions:  400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill recommended.

References:  (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 504.
Martin, A.C. and W.D. Barkley.  1961.  p. 152.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 379.|
Ransom Seed Laboratory

Allenrolfea occidentalis

Allenrolfea occidentalis (Wats.) Kuntze
Iodine bush

Family:  Chenopodiaceae

Habit:  Shrub 50 to 200 cm. high, woody with jointed stems.

Distribution:  Found in moist alkaline places; in deserts, valleys and low mountain ranges throughout California and from Oregon and Idaho to Texas and northern Mexico.

Seed unit:  Utricle.

Seed:  0.6 mm. in diameter, ovoid and red-brown.

Embryo:  Arched and partly enclosing the copious, starchy endosperm.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition:
AOSA:  PSU #38 - Intact utricle with or without perianth. Piece of broken utricle larger than one-half the original size, unless no seed is present.  Seed with or without seed coat.  Piece of broken seed, with or without seed coat, larger than one-half the original size.

Average pure seed units per gram:  8,959 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 7 samples received for testing from1999 to 2003).  

Range of percent pure seed:   8% to 40%

Range of percent inert:  59% to 91%

Description of inert:  Plant material.

Planting instructions:  400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill recommended.

References:  (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 501.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 382.
Ransom Seed Laboratory