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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.

RORIPPA

YELLOW or WATER CRESS

Annual, biennial, perennial herb; hairs simple, rarely sac-like
Stems 1–many, prostrate to erect, branched or not, often from center of basal rosette, rooting at nodes or not
Leaves: basal, lower cauline sessile or short-petioled, entire to pinnately compound; cauline reduced upward
Inflorescence terminal and lateral
Flower generally small; petals 0 or obovate to narrowly spoon-shaped, pale to bright yellow or white
Fruit linear to round, plump; valves 2 or 4(6); pedicel ascending to recurved, slender, generally with 2 minute glands at base; style 0 or prominent, persistent
Seeds 10–200, (1)2 rows per chamber, dense, generally plump; wing 0; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Species in genus: ± 75 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Old Saxon: for these, perhaps other crucifers)
Reference: [Stuckey 1972 Sida 4:277–340]

Native

R. gambelii (S. Watson) Rollins & Al-Shehbaz

GAMBEL'S WATER CRESS

Perennial
Stem erect to decumbent, branched, 5–20 dm; hairs 0 to dense, flat
Leaf 1-pinnate; petiole with small lobes ± at base; leaflets 7–13, sessile, 5–25 mm, ± linear to ± round, prominently dentate, tip acute
Flower: petals 6–8 mm, narrowly spoon-shaped, white
Fruit erect to ascending, 15–25 mm, ± 1 mm wide, linear, ± cylindric, ± incurved, ± narrowed between seeds; pedicels ± spreading to ± reflexed, slender, lower often bracted; style 1.5–2 mm
Seeds 1 row per chamber, ± round, plump but ± flat
Ecology: Marshes, streambanks, lake margins
Elevation: < 1250 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Central Coast, South Coast
Distribution outside California: Mexico
Synonyms: Cardamine g. S. Watson

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