Armeria maritima
- Scientific Name: Armeria maritima
- Family: Plumbaginaceae
- Common Names: sea-pink, thrift
- Codon: ARMMAR
Contents
Taxonomy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Subkingdom: | Viridiplantae |
| Phylum: | Tracheophyta |
| Subphylum: | Spermatophytina |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass: | Caryophyllanae |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Plumbaginaceae |
| Genus: | Armeria Willd. |
| Species: | Armeria maritima (Mill.) Willd. |
Description
Scapose perennial herb with basal tufts of linear leaves and terminal, capitate inflorescences composed of pink flowers.[2] Scape glabrous or hairy.[3] Flowers 5-merous, subsessile; calyx funnelform, thin; corolla connate at base, petals clawed; stamens 5, often epipetalous; pistil 5-carpellate with 5 styles,[4] ovary becoming an achene-like fruit.[2]
Bloom Period
March - July[2]
Distribution
Alaska to California, across Canada. Also Greenland and Europe. West of the Cascade crest in Washington.[2]
Habitat
Beaches, coastal bluffs and prairies.[4]
Uses
Wildlife - Attracts bees, low palatability for browsing and grazing animals like deer. The flowers attract painted lady butterflies. The mat-like vegetation provides shelter for many invertebrates such as the slug-eating ground beetle.
Propagation
Fruit and Seed Collection-Collect A. maritima v. californica when seeds are tan and the papery husk has no green coloration. Flick off the seed with the husk attached. Seed Storage-Due to lack of information on temperature and humidity requirements on A. maritima v. californica as well as information on yearly loss of viability, the A. maritima v. californica is kept at a standard storage of 40f and 40% humidity. Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment-Seeds do not need pre-treatment
Native Plant Network Propagation Protocol
Seed
Seed sample from: 2011
Average Measurement: 4.9 x 1.2 x 1.2
Measurement Range: L: 4.3 – 5.5, W: 1 – 1.5, D: 1.1 – 1.4
Features
Shape: Seeds narrow at hilum, widening at opposite apex to form a tube shaped opening with five ribs flaring out from the end of the seed. Inside tube structure is five lobed star shaped structure.
Color: Ribs brown, connected with a white transparent membrane. Star shaped structure is tan.
Surface: Seed is longitudinally ribbed, and has a slight sheen.
Latitudinal Cross Section: elliptical
Longitudinal Cross Section: obovate 
Basic Explanations and Assumptions:
The dimensions for the seeds are length x width x depth. The location of the hilum is used as the base of the seed, and the length is measured from hilum to the opposite apex. Where a style is present, the length is measured from the hilum to the bottom of the style. Width is measured at a right angle to the length at the widest part. Depth is measured at a right angle to the intersection of height and width lines.
Measurements included are the mean average for each measurement of ten separate seeds.
All measurements in millimeters unless otherwise noted.
Photo Gallery
Photo by Ben Legler, 2004
References
- ↑ Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=21326
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 WTU Herbarium, Burke Museum, & University of Washington. Retrieved from http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Armeria%20maritima
- ↑ Flora of North America. Retrieved from http://dev.floranorthamerica.org/Armeria_maritima
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D., & Legler, B. et al. (2018). Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an illustrated manual. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 322.
