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.
SISYMBRIUM
Annual, biennial; hairs simple or 0
Stem generally erect, branched
Leaves petioled or sessile, variously lobed or dissected, green or glaucous
Inflorescence many-flowered; bracts 0
Flower: sepals erect to ± spreading; petals yellow, clawed
Fruit ascending to erect, linear to ± awl-shaped, generally cylindric, straight to ± curved, hairy or not; valves prominently veined; style conic or 0, stigma 2-lobed
Seeds many, generally 1 row per chamber; margin 0; not or ± gelatinous when wet; embryonic root at back of 1 cotyledon, sometimes obliquely so
Species in genus: ± 90 species: most continents
Etymology: (Greek: for various mustards)
| Introduced |
S. loeselii L.
Annual
Stem 40–120 cm; branches especially above; hairs at least below, sparse to dense, spreading or reflexed, long
Leaf petioled, < 1.5 dm, widely deltate-lanceolate, pinnately to irregularly lobed; lobes ± linear to lanceolate, few-toothed
Flower: sepals 2.5–3.5 mm, lanceolate; petals 6–8 mm, widely obovate, yellow, claws long, narrow
Fruit generally not overtopping flowers, 2–3.5 cm, linear, straight or ± incurved; pedicel spreading to ascending, 1–2 cm, width < fruit width; style ± 0.5 mm
Seed ± 0.7 mm; embryonic root at back of 1 cotyledon, sometimes obliquely so
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Disturbed areas, fields, roadsides
Elevation: 1200–2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Canada, n US; native to Europe
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