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Botanical description and characteristics of field larkspur seed

For agronomists

1 min read

Семена сокирок великолепных
Seeds of rocket larkspur

Rocket larkspur (Consolida regalis) poses a serious threat to the purity and safety of the harvest. This weed actively infests crops of spring and winter cereals, showing particular harmfulness in winter rye. Due to its wide distribution, seeds of this plant are regularly found in harvested grain, reducing its commercial quality.

Seeds of rocket larkspur have poisonous properties. It is the most frequently encountered weed component in plant products, which can render a grain batch unsuitable for use.

Morphological characteristics and seed dimensions

For reliable control of seed material purity, it is important to be able to identify the weed at the stage of bulk analysis. Rocket larkspur seeds have a characteristic shape and recognizable surface texture, which facilitates their identification. The follicles of this plant are trihedral, and the seeds themselves have a specific structure.

  • Shape: trihedral-rounded-cuneate, slightly curved, with a blunt, widened apex. A scar and remnants of the funiculus are clearly visible at the protruding base of the seed.
  • Surface: densely covered with shiny leathery scales, which are arranged transversely-parallel and resemble shingles.
  • Color: varies from dark gray to reddish.
  • Seed length — 22,25 mm
  • Seed width — 1,251,75 mm
  • Seed thickness — 1,251,75 mm

The weed infests fields almost everywhere. It is distributed throughout the European part of the Russian Federation (with the exception of the Far North regions), as well as in the Caucasus and Western Siberia.

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