Family
Amaranthaceae
Synonyms
Achyranthes sessilis
Distribution in Canada
Not known to occur in Canada.
Duration of life cycle
Annual or short-lived perennial
Seed/Fruit type
- True seed (often shed enclosed within a single-seeded utricle and perianth)
Seed identification features
Size
- fruit length: 1.5–2.5 mm
- fruit width: 1.5–2.5 mm
- seed diameter: 1.0 mm
Shape
- fruit is heart-shaped
- seed is round, with a notch at seed root area
- in cross-section: both fruit and seed are a narrow oval
Surface texture
- fruit: dull and roughened
- seed: shiny and smooth
Colour
- fruit: straw-yellow
- seed: translucent, dark red
Other structures
- perianth is attached to base of fruit, and has 5 sharp-pointed lobes
- top of utricle extends past perianth
Similar species
Smooth joyweed (Alternanthera paronychioides)
- not found in Canada; found in the southeastern United States
- distribution overlaps with that of sessile joyweed
- very similar to sessile joyweed (fruits are difficult to distinguish)
- tends to be larger than sessile joyweed by up to 1.0 mm
- utricle remains within perianth (utricle of sessile joyweed extends past perianth lobes)
Photos
Similar species
