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.
DIPLOTAXIS
WALL ROCKET
Annual, biennial, perennial herb; base woody or not
Stem ascending to erect, generally several, generally branched
Leaves: basal 0 or rosetted or not, pinnately lobed or toothed, petioled; cauline 0 or entire to lobed, petiole short or 0
Inflorescence dense
Flower: inner sepals sac-like at base; petals ± obovate, yellow, rarely violet to white
Fruit linear, often narrowed between seeds, cylindric to ± flat parallel to septum, ± stalked above receptacle; valves cleary 1-veined, glabrous; beak 3-veined, style short or 0
Seeds many, 2 rows per chamber, 0.4–0.7(1) mm; cotyledons doubly folded
Species in genus: ± 25 species: mid latitudes, Old World
Etymology: (Greek: 2-rowed, from seeds)
| Introduced |
D. muralis (L.) DC.
Stem < 4 dm; hairs 0 or scattered, simple, bristle-like
Leaf oblanceolate to oblong
Flower: petals 5–7 mm, pale yellow
Fruit 25–45 mm (including 1.5–3 mm beak), straight or curved, narrowed between seeds, ± flat; pedicel ascending to ± erect, 5–20 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=22,42
Ecology: Uncommon. Waste places, dry streambeds
Elevation: < 200 m.
Bioregional distribution: South Coast, expected elsewhere
Distribution outside California: native to Europe
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