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.
THELYPODIUM
Winter annual to biennial, perennial herb; hairs 0 or simple
Stem generally erect, branched or not
Leaves: basal generally rosetted, petioled, generally shed early, entire to pinnately lobed; cauline petioled or sessile, often clasping
Flower: sepals erect to reflexed, greenish, white, lavender, or purplish, bases sac-like or not; petals linear to oblanceolate, white, lavender, or purple; stamens equal or 4 long, 2 short, paired filaments rarely ± fused
Fruit erect or spreading, narrowly linear, ± narrowed between seeds, cylindric or ± flat parallel to septum, generally stalked above receptacle; pedicel ± flat at base or not, generally expanded at tip; stigma in width < style tip, generally entire
Seeds 1 row per chamber, ± flat; wing generally 0; embryonic root at edge or toward back of 1 cotyledon
Species in genus: 20 species: w North America
Etymology: (Greek: female foot, from fruit stalk above receptacle)
Reference: [Al-Shehbaz 1973 Contr Gray Herb 204:1–148]
| Native |
T. laciniatum (Hook.) Endl.
Biennial
Stem 2.5–10(14) dm, branched, glabrous, solid, not inflated
Leaves: basal and lower cauline petioled, lanceolate to deltate-lanceolate, generally pinnately lobed, thickish; middle, upper cauline entire to dentate, base tapered, tip often acuminate
Inflorescence dense
Flower: petals linear, white to purplish, ± crinkled
Fruit spreading, 3.5–10 cm, flat parallel to septum to cylindric, rarely ± 4-sided, ± narrowed between seeds; stalk above receptacle 1–5 mm; pedicel spreading, rarely ascending, 3–7(15) mm, ± straight, stout; base flat; style 0.7–2.5 mm, stout
Seed: embryonic root at edge of 1 cotyledon
Ecology: Rocky hillsides, basaltic cliffs
Elevation: 600–1900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho
Flowering time: May–Jun
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