TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information) |
|
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
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 1many 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 80:686699; 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 40120 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 2.53.5 mm, lanceolate; petals 68 mm, widely obovate, yellow, claws long, narrow
Fruit generally not overtopping flowers, 23.5 cm, linear, straight or ± incurved; pedicel spreading to ascending, 12 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: 12002000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Canada, n US; native to Europe
previous taxon | next taxon
Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Sisymbrium loeselii
Retrieve dichotomous key for Sisymbrium
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California