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: eastern 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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