BRASSICACEAE (CRUCIFERAE) – MUSTARD FAMILY Plant: herbs mostly, annual to perennial, sometimes shrubs; sap sometimes peppery Stem: Root: Leaves: mostly simple but sometimes pinnately divided; alternate, rarely opposite or whorled; no stipules Flowers: mostly perfect, mostly regular (actinomorphic); 4 sepals, 4 petals often forming a cross; 6 stamens with usually 2 outer ones shorter than the inner 4; ovary superior, mostly 2 fused carpels, 1 to many ovules, 1 pistil Fruit: seed pods, often used in classification, many are slender and long (Silique), some broad (Silicle) – see morphology slide Other: a large family, many garden plants such as turnip, radish, and cabbage, also some spices; often termed the Cruciferae family; Dicotyledons Group Genera: 350+ genera; 40+ locally WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive Flower Morphology in the Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) - flower with 4 sepals, 4 petals (often like a cross, sometimes split or lobed), commonly small, often white or yellow, distinctive fruiting structures often important for ID 2 types of fruiting pods: in addition, fruits may be circular, flattened or angled in cross-section Silicle - (usually <2.5x long as wide), 2-valved with septum (replum) Silique - (usually >2.5x long as wide), 2- valved with septum (replum) Flowers, Many Genera BRASSICACEAE (CRUCIFERAE) – MUSTARD FAMILY Sanddune [Western] Wallflower; Erysimum capitatum (Douglas ex Hook.) Greene var. capitatum Wormseed Wallflower [Mustard]; Erysimum cheiranthoides L. (Introduced) Spreading Wallflower [Treacle Mustard]; Erysimum repandum L. (Introduced) Dame’s Rocket [Dame’s Violet]; Hesperis matronalis L. (Introduced) Purple [Violet] Rocket; Iodanthus pinnatifidus (Michx.) Steud. Michaux's Gladecress; Leavenworthia uniflora (Michx.) Britton [Cow; Field] Cress [Peppergrass]; Lepidium campestre L.) Ait. f. (Introduced) Common [Small] Pepperweed [Peppergrass]; Lepidium densiflorum Schrad. var. densiflorum Virginia Pepperweed [Common Peppergrass]; Lepidium virginicum L. Limestoneglade Bladderpod; Lesquerella filiformis Rollins Roundleaf Bladderpod; Lesquerella ovalifolia Rydb. ex Britton ssp. alba (Goodman) Rollins & Shaw [Annual] Honesty; Lunaria annua L. (Introduced) Perfoliate [Claspleaf] Pennycress; Microthlaspi perfoliatum (L.) F.K. Mey. (Thlaspi perfoliatum L.) (Introduced) Watercress; Nasturtium officinale Ait. f. (Introduced) Cultivated [Garden] Radish; Raphanus sativus L. (Introduced) Common [Bog] Yellowcress; Rorippa palustris (L.) Bess. Creeping Yellow Cress; Rorippa sylvestris (L.) Besser Modoc Yellowcress; Rorippa tenerrima Greene [Tall] Tumble Mustard; Sisymbrium altissimum L. (Introduced) [Common] Hedge Mustard; Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop. (Introduced) Field Pennycress; Thlaspi arvense L. (Introduced) Sanddune [Western] USDA Wallflower Erysimum capitatum (Douglas ex Hook.) Greene var. capitatum Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Quartz Mountain State Park, Greer County, Oklahoma Notes: flowers 4-petaled (petals > 12 mm), yellow to orange; leaves mostly linear lanceolate with a few shallow teeth, short branched hairs; fruit pods long, erect to ascending, with branched hairs; Spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2011] Wormseed Wallflower USDA [Mustard] Erysimum cheiranthoides L. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower, yellow, in clusters; leaves lanceolate, tapering to base, entire to slightly toothed; fruit pods ascending to erect, up to 4 cm, glabrous, stalk narrower than fruit; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2007] Spreading Wallflower USDA [Treacle Mustard] Erysimum repandum L. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flowers 4-petaled, yellow (often bicolor with white); leaves as basal rosette early, stem leaves lanceolate to linear, entire to somewhat coarsely toothed; fruit pods long (up to 12cm), stalk about equal in diameter to fruit; stem stout, angled; Spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2007] Dame’s Rocket [Violet] USDA Hesperis matronalis L. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled large flower (purple, pink or white), stamens and style mostly concealed; stem leaves alternate, sharply toothed, lanceolate to somewhat deltoid; stem hairy; fruit pods long, up to 12+ cm, spreading; late spring through summer [V Max Brown, 2004] Purple [Violet] Rocket USDA Iodanthus pinnatifidus (Michx.) Steud. Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower, light purple to pinkish-white; leaves alternate, clasping, serrate, lanceolate to somewhat ovate; stem hairy or not, angled; fruit 2-4 cm without a beak, spreading upward; often in wet areas; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2006] Michaux's Gladecress USDA Leavenworthia uniflora (Michx.) Britton Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: 4-petaled flower, white, petal tip truncated (not notched) and usually less than 4 mm wide, longer than sepals; basal leaves only, pinnately divided (2-10+ pairs of segments), terminal lobe tends to be largest, hairy above and below; fruit pod not flattened, only slightly constricted or not constricted between seeds; spring [V Max Brown, 2012] [Cow; Field] Cress [Peppergrass] USDA Lepidium campestre (L.) Ait. f. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower, white, inflorescence somewhat flat-topped; basal leaves entire to slightly lobed, upper leaves sessile and clasping, toothed or not; stem very hairy; fruit pod flattened, somewhat indented or notched, stalk hairy, 1 seeded; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2004] Common [Small] Pepperweed USDA [Peppergrass] Lepidium densiflorum Schrad. var. densiflorum Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Oak Openings Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower (or no petals), white, very small (1- 2mm), sepals usually longer; leaves sessile but not clasping, linear with a few teeth, basal leaves more deeply lobed; stem very finely hairy; fruit a silicle, one seed per side; spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2009] Basal Leaves Virginia Pepperweed USDA [Common Peppergrass] Lepidium virginicum L. Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) University of Toledo Campus, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower, white, very small, petals longer than sepals; basal leaves coarsely and sharply toothed and hairy, stem leaves lanceolate and toothed, not clasping; stem mostly smooth; fruit pod flattened, narrowly winged, with notch at tip; spring to fall (winter) [V Max Brown, 2007] Basal Leaves Limestoneglade USDA Bladderpod Lesquerella filiformis Rollins Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: 4-petaled flower, yellow, small; cauline leaves narrow, most basal leaves on long petioles, all leaves entire, leaves and stem covered with silvery hair; fruit an inflated pod attached to pedicel; small plant; limestone glades; spring (rare) [V Max Brown, 2011] Roundleaf Bladderpod USDA Lesquerella ovalifolia Rydb. ex Britton ssp. alba (Goodman) Rollins & Shaw Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Comanche County, Oklahoma Notes: 4-petaled flower, white; cauline leaves narrow to slightly spatulate, most basal leaves spatulate with thickened petioles, all leaves entire, leaves and stem covered with silvery stellate hairs; fruit an inflated pod, stalks mostly straight; spring [V Max Brown, 2011] [Annual] Honesty [Money Plant] USDA Lunaria annua L. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 4-petaled flower, purple; leaves mostly alternate, cordate sharply toothed, mostly with petioles; seed-pod shape distinctive - flattened, somewhat elliptical or oblong with rounded ends; spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2004] Early Stem Perfoliate [Claspleaf] USDA Pennycress Microthlaspi perfoliatum (L.) F.K. Mey. (Thlaspi perfoliatum L.) (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: 4-petaled flower, white, very small, petals longer than sepals; basal leaves finely toothed and petiolate, stem leaves clasping (auricles rounded) and entire or slightly toothed; stem mostly smooth; fruit pod flattened with wide wing and notched at tip; spring to fall (winter) [V Max Brown, 2010] Watercress USDA Nasturtium officinale Ait. f. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Alley Springs, Ozark National Riverways, Shannon County, Missouri Notes: aquatic herb; 4 petaled flower, white; leaves alternate, somewht clasping, pinnate - mostly entire in 3-9+ leaflets; fruits slender, 1- 2+ cm, somewhat round in cross-section with a small beak; spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Cultivated [Garden] Radish USDA Raphanus sativus L. (Introduced) Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Close Memorial Park, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: 4-petal flower, pink, light purple to white with purple veins; leaves coarsely toothed (irregularly lobed or divided), all with petioles but quite variable; fruit pods up to 1 cm+ thick, only slightly narrowed between seeds; large plant with fleshy root; summer to fall (many cultivars) [V Max Brown, 2011] Common [Bog] USDA Yellowcress Rorippa palustris (L.) Besser ssp. fernaldiana (Butters & Abbe) Jonsell Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) Lake Charles State Park, Lawrence County, Arkansas Notes: 4-petaled flower,