Contemporary Circumscription Compared with A Utah Flora 4th ed.
Bio430
Brassicaceae•Cruciferae
No differences
Key Features
Herbs or shrubs with distinctive flowers and fruits: four merous perianth with 6 stamens; siliques or silicles. Trichome features are important within the family for identification.
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Erysimum capitatum
Erysimum capitatum
Erysimum capitatum
Lobularia flowers
Lobularia inflorescence - a raceme
Lobularia silicles
Alyssum - high magnification of tiny flower and stellate hairs
Draba (?) ovary on a short stipe
Draba stem with dendritic hairs
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Less commonly, some Brassicaceae have zygomorphic flowers. Look closely and see the stamens are in 3 groups, each of a different length
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M...malpighian hairs on fruit
Musk mustard - glandular hairs and thin, simple unbranched eglandular hairs
Alyssum silicles
Radish siliques
Lepidium in Nevada
Lepidium inflorescence
Lepidium perfoliatum - base of plant
Lepidium perfoliatum - apex of plant
Lepidium perfoliatum - inflorescence with tiny flowers
Stanleya pinnata
Cardamine hirsuta with valves detaching from replum
Barbarea verna; the two shorter stamens are not visible
Barbarea verna, clawed petals and shorter stamens visible
Raphanus raphistrum - these fruits will break apart into one seeded segments
Capsella (shephard's purse)
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Capsella (shephard's purse)
Capsella (shephard's purse) - one valve of this silicle was removed, showing ovules attached to replum
Capsella (shephard's purse) - base of plant with slighly ariculate leaf bases
Capsella (shephard's purse) - close up of stem and basal leaf, showing 2 and 3 branched hairs
Rockcress
Rockcress
Rockcress - maturing fruit with branched hairs
Rockcress - maturing fruit with one valve removed revealing maturing ovules attached to replum, with many abortive ovules
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