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.
LESQUERELLA
BLADDERPOD
Biennial, perennial herb; hairs ± dense, stellate, rarely simple, often silvery
Stem generally arising laterally from basal leaf cluster
Leaves simple; basal petioled, linear to round, entire to pinnately lobed; cauline sessile or lower short-petioled, base tapered
Flower: sepals erect or spreading, oblong to elliptic; petals widely obovate, entire, generally yellow; stamens 6
Fruit elliptic to ± round, plump or ± flattened parallel or perpendicular to septum; hairs stellate or 0; pedicel slender, straight or not
Seeds 2–10(14) per chamber, ± round, ± plump or flat; margin generally 0; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Species in genus: ± 95 species: generally North America, ± 12 South America
Etymology: (L. Lesquereux, Am botanist, 1805–1889)
Reference: [Rollins & Shaw 1973 Harvard Univ Press: 1–228]
| Native |
L. occidentalis (S. Watson) S. Watson subsp. occidentalis
Perennial; hairs dense, 4–7-rayed
Stem prostrate to erect, many, 0.3–1.5(3) dm, generally unbranched
Leaves: basal 1–8 cm, wavy-margined or dentate to entire, elliptic to round, narrowed to slender petioles; cauline 0.5–1.5(2.5) cm, oblanceolate, entire or sparsely dentate, lower short-petioled
Flower: petals 7–9(14) mm
Fruit elliptic to obovate, ± flat parallel to septum, especially near margins, often near tip, often ± beaked; valve hairs dense, appressed or ± spreading outside, 0 or sparse inside; pedicel 5–10(15) mm, C- or S-shaped; style 2–6.5 mm, often hairy
Seeds 2 per chamber, marginless
Chromosomes: 2n=10
Ecology: Gravelly soils, talus, ridges
Elevation: 1600–3000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, High North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, n High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to Oregon, Idaho
Synonyms: L. cusickii M.E. Jones
2 subspp. totalHorticultural information: DRN, SUN, IRR: 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
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