TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

BRASSICACEAE

MUSTARD FAMILY

Reed C. Rollins, except as specified

Annual to subshrub
Leaves generally basal and cauline, alternate, generally simple; stipules 0
Inflorescence: generally raceme
Flower bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals (0)4, free, generally white or yellow, often clawed; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed
Fruit: generally capsule ("silique") with 2 deciduous valves, sometimes breaking transversely or indehiscent
Seeds 1–many per chamber
Genera in family: 300+ genera, 3000+ species: worldwide, especially cool regions; some cultivated for food (especially Brassica, Raphanus ) and ornamental
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Capparaceae [Rodman et al. 1993 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 80:686–699; Rollins 1993 Cruciferae of Continental North America. Stanford Univ Press]
Family description, key to genera by Robert A. Price.

ARABIS

ROCK CRESS

Biennial, perennial herb; base woody or not; hairs 0 to dense, simple, forked, stellate, or multibranched; caudex branched or not
Stem branched or not, cylindric, leafy
Leaves: basal petioled, entire or dentate; cauline generally sessile, entire or dentate, base often lobed, often clasping stem
Inflorescence: bracts 0
Flower erect to reflexed; sepals erect; petals spoon-shaped to oblong and narrowed at base or narrowly obovate, white to deep purple, rarely straw-colored
Fruit erect to reflexed, linear, straight to curved, flat parallel to septum, rarely ± cylindric
Seeds ± many, generally 1 row per chamber, flat or plump, winged or not; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Species in genus: ± 120 species: temp North America, Eurasia, Africa
Etymology: (Latin: of Arabia)

Native

A. suffrutescens S. Watson

Perennial; base woody; caudex widely branched
Stems several–many, simple, rarely branched above; hairs ± 0 or below, multibranched or stellate
Leaves: hairs 0 to dense; basal 1–4 cm, linear to ± spoon-shaped; cauline few, sessile, 1–3 cm, lanceolate, base lobed, clasping stem
Flower: petals 5–7 mm, spoon-shaped, rose to purplish
Fruit 3–6 mm wide, glabrous; tip acute; pedicel 4–10 mm, slender, glabrous; style < 1 mm or 0
Seed round; wing all around, wide
Ecology: Gravelly to rocky slopes, basalt, pumice, serpentine
Elevation: ± 1500 or 1700–2800 m.
Bioregional distribution: e Klamath Ranges, n High North Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, n East of Sierra Nevada
Distribution outside California: to Oregon, Idaho

Native

var. suffrutescens

Stem 2–5 dm; hairs sparse to ± 0
Leaves: basal hairs sparse to ± 0
Fruit pendent to reflexed, 4–7 cm
Ecology: Dry, rocky slopes, basaltic, serpentine outcrops
Elevation: 1700–2800 m.
Bioregional distribution: e Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, n East of Sierra Nevada (Sweetwater Mtns)
Distribution outside California: to Oregon, Idaho
Flowering time: Jun–Jul
Synonyms: var. perystylosa Rollins

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Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Arabis suffrutescens var. suffrutescens
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