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.

CARDARIA

WHITE-TOP, HOARY CRESS

Perennial, generally strongly rhizomed; hairs 0 to dense, simple, fine
Stems 1–several, generally erect
Leaves simple, toothed; base often lobed, clasping stem
Inflorescence ± flat-topped, wider than long, generally dense
Flower: petals white
Fruit cordate or ovate to ± round to obovate, indehiscent or tardily dehiscent, partly inflated or flattened perpendicular to septum; style 1–2 mm, slender
Seeds 1–2 per chamber, ovate, ± flat; wing 0; embryonic root at back of 1 cotyledon
Species in genus: 5 species: Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: heart-shaped, from fruit of C. draba )
Reference: [Mulligan & Findley 1974 Canad J Plant Sci 54:149–160]

Introduced

C. draba (L.) Desv.

HEART-PODDED HOARY CRESS

Stem 2–5 dm; hairs below, sparse or ± 0 above
Leaves widely oblanceolate to obovate; basal leaves short-petioled, ± toothed to entire; middle and upper cauline leaves sessile, base lobed, clasping stem
Flower: sepals glabrous, margin white; petals 3–4 mm
Fruit 3–5 mm wide, widely cordate or ovate, generally narrowed at septum, glabrous
Chromosomes: 2n=62,64
Ecology: Disturbed, generally saline soils, fields, roadsides
Elevation: < 1200 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Canada, c US; native to Eurasia
Flowering time: Mar–Jun
Weedy. Plants called var. repens (Shrenk) O.E. Schulz are apparent hybrids with C. chalepensis.

previous taxon | next taxon
 
N.B. The distribution depicted here differs from that given in The Jepson Manual (1993)

Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Cardaria draba
Retrieve dichotomous key for Cardaria
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California