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.
STANLEYA
PRINCE'S PLUME
Annual, perennial herb, shrub, often glaucous; hairs 0 or simple
Stem 2–15 dm, branched or not
Leaves: basal clustered or not; cauline petioled or not, entire to deeply lobed
Inflorescence dense, generally > 1 dm; buds club-shaped
Flower: sepals spreading to reflexed, linear-oblong; petals generally conspicuous, yellow to white; filaments ± equal, >> petals
Fruit linear, flat parallel to septum or ± cylindric; stalk above receptacle 1–3 cm; style ± 0 or short
Seed oblong; margin 0; embryonic root at edges of 1 or both cotyledons
Species in genus: 6 species: w US
Etymology: (E. Stanley, English ornithologist, 19th century)
Concentrates selenium to TOXIC levels, but rarely eaten .
| Native |
S. viridiflora Torr. & A. Gray
Perennial, glabrous throughout; caudex simple, covered with old leaf bases
Stem 1, erect, 3–12 dm; branches 0 or above
Leaves: basal many, clustered, petioled, 1–3 dm, oblanceolate to obovate, entire or dentate, rarely dissected; middle and upper cauline sessile, clasping stem, lanceolate to ovate, entire to few-toothed
Inflorescence 1–5 dm
Flower: sepals 12–16 mm, linear-oblong; petals 15–20 mm, 2–3 mm wide, lemon-yellow to ± white; stamens >> petals, ± equal
Fruit ± spreading, 4–7 cm, ± cylindric, arched; stalk above receptacle 15–25 mm; pedicel spreading, 4–7 mm, stout
Seed 2–3 mm, ± 1.5 mm wide, oblong; wing 0; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Chromosomes: 2n=24,28
Ecology: Cliffs, shales, clay knolls, white ash deposits
Elevation: ± 1300 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Modoc Plateau (Lassen Co.)
Distribution outside California: to Rocky Mtns
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