BRASSICACEAE

MUSTARD FAMILY

Reed C. Rollins, except as specified

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 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.

BARBAREA

Biennial, perennial herb, erect; hairs simple, sparse, stiff, or 0
Leaves: basal, lower cauline pinnately lobed to ± compound, terminal lobe > lateral; cauline smaller upward, upper sessile, base ± lobed, clasping stem
Inflorescence terminal; bracts 0
Flower: petals yellow
Fruit linear, ± cylindric to ± 4-sided; valves strongly 1-veined base to tip; style 0.5–3 mm, beak-like
Seeds many, 1 row per chamber; wing 0; embryonic root at edges of both cotyledons
Species in genus: ± 20 species: e Eur, sw Asia
Etymology: (Saint Barbara)

Native

B. orthoceras Ledeb.

Biennial, perennial herb; caudex simple
Stem 1–6 dm, branched, stiff, angled
Leaves pinnately lobed; basal < 12 cm, with 2–3 pairs of lateral lobes, terminal lobe ovate, entire or irregularly toothed; cauline less lobed upward, often clasping stem
Flower: petals bright yellow
Fruit erect to spreading-ascending, (1.5)2.5–5 cm, straight; pedicel 2–3 mm, < 1 mm thick; style 0.5–1 mm
Seed ± 1.5 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Damp meadows, wet rocks, streambanks, moist woods
Elevation: 700–3350 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Great Central Valley), n East of Sierra Nevada, White and Inyo Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, e N.America, Mexico, also in temperate Asia
Flowering time: May–Sep
Synonyms: var. dolichocarpa Fernald

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N.B. The distribution depicted here differs from that given in The Jepson Manual (1993)

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