Frankenia salina (Molina) I.M. Johnston
Alkali heath  (syn. F. grandifolia Cham. & Schldl.)

Family:  Frankeniaceae

Habit:  Shrub, spreading from rhizomes to 3 dm., pink flowered.

Distribution:  Commonly found along ocean bluffs, salt marshes, and mesas of the central and southern California coast and Channel Islands, interior deserts to Nevada, Mexico and South America.

Seed unit:  Fruit is a many (1 to 20) seeded linear capsule; free seeds are the seed unit.

Seed:  1 to 1.5 mm. with ellipsoid shape.

Embryo:  Linear embryo and endosperm.

Purity instructions:  Pure seed definition:
AOSA:  PSU#1 – Seed, with or without seed coat; broken seed larger than one-half the original size.

Lab notes:  Occasionally seeds must be removed from capsules prior to planting in some samples.

Average pure seed units per gram:  5,500 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 14 samples received for testing from 1996 to 2001). 

Range of percent pure seed:  1% to 12%

Range of percent inert:  87% to 99%

Description of inert:  Plant material, dead insects.

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