.jpg)
Seeds from Prairie Carnation have been analysed for their morphological, and physical characteristics. The electron microscope on the left shows that the seed coat contains a lot of "bumps." The seed contains a very large embryo which is about 10% of the seed volume. In B and C we see various protein concentrations in the cotelydons in red and yellow colors.
Studies with the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon by Dr. Chithra Karunakaran have revealed that there is a protein layer between the starch body and the inside of the seed hull. In picture B this shows as a red line on the left. Dehulled seeds contain over 77% starch with very small starch granules of uniform size which are visible in A as blue spots. The turquoise material are epidermal layers of both cotelydons. The total seed contains 3% saponins, and the embryo contains 10-15 % saponins. [1]
The two pictures on the right D, and E contain cross sections of the Prarie Carnation embryo. D shows the concentration of Lipids within the Carnation embryo towards the radicle section. E shows CH3 & CH2 groups of lipids spread out through the cortex with red indicating higher concentrations.
[1] John Balsevich Analysis of Bisdesmosedic saponins in S. vaccaria by HPLC-MS