Euthamia occidentalis  Nutt.
Western Goldenrod (syn. Solidago occidentalis)

Family: Asteraceae

Habit:  Perennial herb less than 2 m.  Smooth much branched white stem from creeping rhizome.  Leaves are lance-linear and glabrous.

Distribution: Found in ditches, coastal salt marsh, freshwater marsh, stream banks and meadows in California (except deserts) to western Canada, New Mexico and Northern Baja, California, Mexico.

Seed unit:  Achene.

Seed: 1 mm. fusiform, strigose.  Pappus of 25 to 45 bristles.

Embryo:  Well-developed cotyledons with no endosperm.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition:
AOSA: PSU# 50 - Intact achene, with or without one or more of the following structures: beak, bristle, hairs, pappus, wing, or firmly attached floral remnants, provided a true seed with some degree of embryo development can be detected (either by slight pressure or by examination over light).
Piece of broken achene larger than one-half of the original size, unless no seed is present. Seed, with or without pericarp/seed coat; if broken, larger than one-half the original size.
ISTA: PSD#1 – Achene with or without pappus, unless it is obvious that no seed is present.

Lab notes:  There are often many immature, shriveled fruits.

Average pure seed units per gram:  13,159 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from six (6) samples received for testing from 1999 to 2002).

Range of percent pure seed:   25% to 57%

Range of percent inert:  42% to 74%

Description of inert:  Plant material, broken seed.

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

References: (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 266.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 1185.
Ransom Seed Laboratory