36 THE SEEDS OF THE BLUEGRASSES. 
Rumex crispus L. 
CURLED DOCK. 
Seeds (akenes) 13-23 mm. long, triangular with equal faces and broadly ovate- 
lanceolate; color dark reddish brown; surface smooth, polished; apex acute; base 
obtuse, contracted, and ey truncate at the scar; edges narrowly margined; 
faces longitudinally concave in poorly developed 
seeds; true seed coat thin; embryo cylindrical, rest- 
$ ing in the center of one face of the endosperm; 
caulicle pointing to the base of theakene. (Fig. 28.) 
4 Found occasionally, especially in Kentucky biue- 
grass and in Canada bluegrass seeds; small, imper- 
Fie. 28.—Seeds of curled dock (Ru- fectly developed seed more commonly found than 
Bee ee eras large, heavy seed. Their sharply three-angled, 
beechnut-like form distinguishes them from other 
impurities, except one or two other kinds of dock. The docks are destructive weeds, 
and care should be taken to prevent the sowing of their seeds. 
FAy 
Rumex acetosella L. 
SHEEP’S SORREL, SORREL. 
Seeds (iruits) acutely oval, three-angled, with equal faces, 1-1} mm. long; repre- 
sented in commercial seed by the seed-like akene only or by the akene covered by 
the thin, closely fitting perianth segments, which are six in number, three broad 
ones covering the sides of the 
akene and three small ones cover- es 
ing the angles at the base; covered * 
Q 
by the perianth, the seeds are ° 
finely roughened, dull, and red- . . 
dish brown; venation of the three 
broad segments evident; small 
segments at the basal angles oiten 
broken away; akenes but slightly 
smaller than when covered by the perianth, bluntly three-angled; surface smooth, 
somewhat polished, reddish brown or wine colored, often semitranslucent; angles 
dark at the apex; internal structure essentially the same as in Rumex crispus. 
(Fig. 29.) 
_One of the commonest impurities in commercial 
seed, found in all seed of the cultivated bluegrasses. 
Fie. 29.—Seeds of sorrel (Rumex acetosella): a, b, and e, 
seed enveloped by the perianth; d, seed with perianth 
removed; ¢, natural size of seeds. 
Veronica arvensis L. 
CORN SPEEDWELL. 
Seeds 3-3? mm. long, flattened and thin, more or 
iat Seeds or eonl speedwelin ess comikirls oval, plane or sometimes curved face- 
( Veronica arvensis): aandb,front wise; center of the inner face marked by the relatively 
views; ¢, back view; d, natural large, raised chalaza, which is united by a narrow 
aot eed ridge (the raphe) to the scar on the edge of the 
smaller extremity of the seed; external face slightly ridged longitudinally, indicat- 
ing the position of the embryo, which is surrounded by the endosperm; surface dull, 
finely roughened by somewhat radially-disposed ridges, and reddish yellow. (Fig. 
30. ) 
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