Delphinium menziesii

Delphinium menziesii, commonly referred to as Menzies Larkspur. Synonyms/Subspecies

• Delphinium menziesii ssp. menziesii DC.
• Delphinium menziesii ssp. pallidum M.J. Warnock

Taxonomy

• Kingdom Plantae- Plants
• Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
• Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
• Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
• Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
• Subclass Magnoliidae
• Order Ranunculales
• Family Ranunculaceae – Buttercup family
• Genus Delphinium- Larkspur family
• Species Delphinium menziesii- Menzies Larkspur

References

Delphinium menziesii seeds
Photo Credit Lisa Hintz

The Seed

Abbreviation – DEME

Seed sample from 2009

Features

Average measurement: 1.9 x 1.2 x 1

Measurement range: L: 1.5 – 2.3, W: 1.1 – 1.3, D: 0.9 x 1.2

Latitudinal cross section: obovate

Longitudinal cross section: elliptical

Seeds dark brown in a roomy, clear/white seed coat that bunches around hilum and seed edges. Bagginess of seed coat sometimes gives the seed a winged appearance.

Seed coat very finely longitudinal striate and glossy.

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.