| Family: | Brassicaceae; Cruciferae |
|---|---|
| Common name: | mustard family [Zomlefer, pp. 125-130] |
| Diversity: | Worldwide: ~380 genera; ~3,200 species U.S.: 55 genera PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 54 genera |
| Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites | |
| Flower | |
|---|---|
| K4 Co4 S2+4 P (2) | |
| Sexuality: | bisexual (perfect) |
| Symmetry: | actinomorphic (radial or regular) |
| Inflorescence: | raceme, indeterminate growth |
| Calyx (sepals): | 4 separate |
| Corolla (petals): | 4 separate, often clawed, cruciform |
| Androecium: | 6, tetradynamous (4 tall, 2 short) |
| Gynoecium: | 2 united carpels, superior ovary (= hypogynous flower); ovules have parietal placentation |
| Fruit: | dry, dehiscent. silicle (short,squat), silique (longer than wide by 3X) |
| Other features: | family has a genetic self-incompatabiliy system (sporophytic type) |
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|---|---|
| watery, acrid (bitter) juice; peppery taste (due to mustard glucosinolates) | |
| Leaves: | alternate, simple to lobed, exstipulate (lacking stipules), often a basal rosette |
| Life-history: | annual to perennial |
| Habit: | mostly herbs, some shrubs, a few +/- woody |
| Distribution & Ecology: | temperate/cold regions of N. Hemisphere centered in Mediterranean, C. and SW Asia rare in tropics |
| Some Northwest Genera: | Arabis rock cress Cardamine toothwort or bitter-cress Lunaria moneywort Draba draba |
| Economic Importance | |
|---|---|
| Crops: | many; Brassica mustard, cabbage, kale, rutabga, turnip, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip Raphanus radish |
| Ornamentals: | few; Erysimum wall flower |
| Weedy and pest species: | many; Brassica spp. Capsella bursa-pastoris shepherd's purse Thlaspi penny cress; fanweed Lepidium pepper grass |
| Examples | Brassica |
|---|---|
| Erysimum |
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| Cakile |
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| Cardamine |
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| Raphanus |
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| click on the genus name for a flower image |
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Links to Other Web Sites
| Texas A & M Univ. Image Gallery |
A collection of images for plants in the Brassicaceae, listed alphabetically by genus. |
| Around the world with Brassicas |
A photo-tour of a few of the world's Brassica species, hosted by the Wisconsin Fastplants group |
| The Mount Horeb Mustard Museum |
Hard to believe, but there are more varieties of the mustard condiment than there are species in the mustard family. This site answers all the questions you never knew you had. |
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