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Hello everyone! Can anyone identify this seed? It’s from an archaeological site in New Hampshire from a feature that is carbon dated to 1484-1644 AD. The seed’s measurements are 3.1mm x 2.0 mm x 0.4 mm. My first thought was Thlaspi arvense, but that is native to Europe, and this seed is far too large; however, the concentric ridging pattern seems quite unique and has left me stumped. Does anyone have any ideas?
Hello, this photo reminded me of seeds from the Portulacaceae family, I will attach a photo for an example.
Claytonia sibirica.
By Zoya Akulova. Copyright © 2022 CC BY-NC 3.0. For Reuse: Contact
CalPhotos – calphotos.berkeley.edu/flora/I just took a look and that species doesn’t look like it grows in the New Hampshire area. It has a counterpart, Claytonia caroliniana, but that appears to be a smooth seed. Thanks for the suggestion though!
Hello Linda,
Matching a seed with the concentric striations and a relatively large size is challenging! My suggestion towards an identity would be either Claytonia virginica (Portulacaceae) or a dimorphic seed of Atriplex sp. (Chenopodiaceae). Seeds from these families often have concentric striations on the radicle and a textured body, but the large size is unusual.
The Caryophyllaceae family seeds can have similar markings, but they tend not to get this large, and many species are introductions from settlers.
C. virginica is a similar size, oval shape, with faint striations similar to this image. Would charred seeds change to a more pronounced texture I wonder?
Atriplex sp. occasionally produce large red seeds, with a textured radicle end. They generally have a smooth body and a thinner seed coat than the common black seeds. Chenopodium spp. also produce these larger red seeds.Thank you for sharing your mystery seed, please let us know what you find out about it!
Jennifer
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