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. integrifolium (Torr. & A. Gray) Endl.
Biennial
Stem 4.5–17 dm, straight, glabrous, glaucous; branches 0 or above
Leaves: basal 5–31 cm, oblong to obovate, ± entire, thickish, ± glaucous; cauline sessile, 2–8 cm, narrowed to base, ± without basal lobes, entire to ± dentate, thickish, glabrous
Flower: petals 6–9 mm, not crinkled
Fruit spreading to ascending, cylindric to ± flat, ± narrowed between seeds; pedicel straight, rarely ± curved; style 0.5–1.5 mm, slender
Seed: embryonic roots ± near edge on back of 1 cotyledon
Ecology: Generally sandy, silty, or alkaline soils
Elevation: 700–2500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: to Washington, Rocky Mtns
| Native |
subsp. affine (Greene) Al-Shehbaz
Flower: petals white
Fruit 2–4 cm, upcurved; stalk above receptacle 1–3 mm; pedicel generally spreading, 6–13 mm, straight to ± curved, whitish, base ± flat
Ecology: Among shrubs, low dunes, meadows
Elevation: 700–1100 m.
Bioregional distribution: East of Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: to Utah
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