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.
ARABIS
ROCK CRESS
Biennial, perennial herb; base woody or not; hairs 0 to dense, simple, forked, stellate, or multibranched; caudex branched or not
Stem branched or not, cylindric, leafy
Leaves: basal petioled, entire or dentate; cauline generally sessile, entire or dentate, base often lobed, often clasping stem
Inflorescence: bracts 0
Flower erect to reflexed; sepals erect; petals spoon-shaped to oblong and narrowed at base or narrowly obovate, white to deep purple, rarely straw-colored
Fruit erect to reflexed, linear, straight to curved, flat parallel to septum, rarely ± cylindric
Seeds ± many, generally 1 row per chamber, flat or plump, winged or not; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Species in genus: ± 120 species: temp North America, Eurasia, Africa
Etymology: (Latin: of Arabia)
| Native |
A. blepharophylla Hook. & Arn.
COAST ROCK CRESS
Perennial; caudex branches 0–few; hairs coarse, forked or multibranched
Stems 1–few, simple, 0.5–2 dm, hairy especially above
Leaves: basal rosetted, many, petioled, 2–8 cm, oblanceolate to obovate, entire to dentate, hairy on surfaces and margins or surfaces glabrous, tip obtuse; cauline few, sessile
Flower: petals widely spoon-shaped, rose-purple
Fruit erect, 2–4 cm, glabrous; pedicel erect, 5–20 mm, stout, hairy; style 1–2 mm
Seed ± round; wing narrow
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Rocky outcrops, grassy slopes
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Outer North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area.
previous taxon | next taxon
Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Arabis blepharophylla
Retrieve dichotomous key for Arabis
Return to treatment index page
Glossary