Lappula squarrosa | SeedImages

Species category

Weed

Common name

European stickseed

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

NutletNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).

Shape

SpatulateSpatulate:
Having a narrow base and rounded apex. Pear-shaped.

Size

Length 2–2.5 mm
Width 1–1.5 mm
Thickness 0.5–0.6 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

TuberculateTuberculate:
Having small pimple-like protuberances.
with long spines with crowns of recurved, sharp hooks

Other structures

NutletNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).
has a linear scar on the dorsalDorsal:
Upper side or back of a seed or fruit.
side. VentralVentral:
Adaxial; of the side of an organ facing the axis (compare dorsal).
margin has spines inside the nutletNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).
margin.

Identification notes

NutletNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).
is spatulateSpatulate:
Having a narrow base and rounded apex. Pear-shaped.
and somewhat compressed. The surface is covered with uniformly spaced tubercles, but more conspicuous is a row of spines with recurved hooks on their ends arranged along the margin of the ventralVentral:
Adaxial; of the side of an organ facing the axis (compare dorsal).
side of the nutletNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).
. Color is gray-brown. The nutletsNutlet:
A small, dry, indehiscent carpel of a fruit, usually composed of one quarter of the fruit with each enclosing a single seed (e.g. mints).
of Lappula squarrosa and of L. occidentalis var. occidentalis are similar.

Noxious weed seed categories

State Noxious Weed: Alaska

AOSA examination list

Included

Nomenclature

Family

Boraginaceae

Valid name

Lappula squarrosa (Retz.) Dumort.

Synonyms

Lappula echinata Gilib.
Lappula erecta A. Nelson
Lappula fremontii (Torr.) Greene
Lappula lappula (L.) Karst., nom. inval.
Lappula myosotis Moench
Lappula squarrosa (Retz.) Dumort. var. erecta (A. Nelson) Dorn

Lappula squarrosa. Nutlets with a row of spines with recurved hooks on their ends that are arranged along the margin of the ventral side.