Brassicaceae

Erucastrum (DC.) C.Presl

First published in Fl. Sicul.: 92 (1826), nom. cons.
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Europe to S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Sri Lanka.

Descriptions

Cruciferae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs usually ± hairy with simple hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Lower leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, upper ones usually linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow in bracteate or ebracteate racemes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals erect or spreading, inner pair somewhat saccate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4, unguiculate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Silique quadrangular with keeled valves, each with 1 prominent dorsal nerve and a conical beak with 0–3 seeds.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Cotyledons longitudinally conduplicate. Seeds 1-seriate, ovoid or ellipsoid.
[FZ]

Cruciferae, Bengt Jonsell (University of Stockholm). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1982

Morphology General Habit
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs (rarely subshrubs) with a taproot, little to moderately branched, usually with simple hairs
Morphology Leaves
Basal leaves ± lyrate-pinnate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes terminal, bracteate or ebracteate, ± corymbose, with small flowers, in fruit elongate, lax
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals not spreading, the inner slightly saccate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellowish or white, spathulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6, distinctly tetradynamous, with linear filaments
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Nectaries 2-lobed or horseshoe-shaped (with opening outwards) at the base of the lateral stamens, and as a spheroid gland outside each median stamen-pair
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Gynophore absent or very short; ovary cylindrical, with short style and semiglobose to bifid stigma; ovules 10–50
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a siliqua, readily dehiscent, linear, usually 4-angled in transverse section, with a seedless conical beak; valves with a prominent midnerve
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds usually uniseriate, spheroid to ellipsoid, slightly flattened, finely reticulate, not mucilaginous.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Annual to perennial herbs with simple hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes bracteate to ebracteate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals erect, the inner slightly saccate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals small to medium-sized, yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a siliqua; valves with prominent midnerve; beak rather short, seedless
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds uniseriate, globose to ellipsoid, not mucilaginous.
Distribution
About 20 species in Africa, Macaronesia, Arabia and Europe.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0