Verbena lasiostachys Link
Verbena, Western vervain

Family:  Verbenaceae

Habit:  Perennial 35 to 80 cm., much-branched.  Inflorescence in terminal spikes of blue to purple flowers.

Distribution:  Found in dry to moist places below 8000 feet, in many plant communities in cismontane California north to Oregon and south to Baja California.

Seed unit:  Nutlet, usually single, but sometimes up to four fused together.

Seed:   Nutlet 1 to 2 mm., compressed-oblong and slightly rounded-triangular in cross section, making it somewhat two-sided; the rounded back bearing lengthwise ridges toward lower end and a network of cross ridges above; inner face of two planes meeting in a low ridge, the surface generally covered with whitish papillae; margin bordered by a narrow flange; attachment scar whitish.

Embryo:  A foliar embryo in woody seed coat, endosperm lacking.

Purity instructions:   Pure seed definition:
AOSA:  PSU #10 – Intact nutlet, whether or not a seed is present.  Piece of broken nutlet larger than one-half of 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.
ISTA:  PSD #18 - Nutlet, unless it is obvious that no seed is present.  Piece of nutlet larger than one-half the original size, unless it is obvious that no seed is present.  Seed, with the pericarp/testa partially or entirely removed.  Piece of seed larger than one-half the original size, with the pericarp/testa partially or entirely removed.

Lab notes:  Often samples contain multiple seed units.

Average pure seed units per gram:  2,418 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 18 samples received for testing from 1997 to 2004).

Range of percent pure seed:   91 to 98%

Range of percent inert:  1 – 8%

Description of inert:   Plant material, dirt

Planting instructions:  400 seeds, TB, 18 days @ 15 to 25°C; for fresh and dormant seed, GA₃ recommended @ 15°C.

References: (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed.  1993.  p. 1088.
Martin, A.C. and W.D. Barkley.  1961.  p. 194.
Munz, P.A. and D.D. Keck.  1968.  p. 687.
Ransom Seed Laboratory