MUSTARD FAMILY. CRUCIFERAE.

Fig 78.[Yellow or Small Alyssum. Alyssum alyssoides] L.

Yellow or Small Alyssum. Alyssum alyssoides L. Flowers yellow; fruit nearly circular; seeds rich yellowish brown, about 1.5 mm. long, nearly straight on one edge, flattened slightly, convex on each side or one side flat, surrounded by a thin wing. Cotyledons accumbent. Introduced from Europe.

Fig 79. [Yellow Rocket. Winter Cress. Barbarea vulgaris] R. Br. (Barbarea Barbarea L. Mac. M.)

Yellow Rocket. Winter Cress. Barbarea vulgaris R. Br. (Barbarea Barbarea L. Mac. M.) Seeds roughened, dull, light brown, irregularly flattened, broad oval, circular-oval, circular-oblong, cotyledons accumbent. Introduced from Europe.

Fig 80.[Hoary Alyssum. Berteroa incana] (L.) D. C.

Hoary Alyssum. Berteroa incana (L.) D. C. Flowers white; pods oval, flattened; seeds reddish brown, circular, broad oval, or rhombic in outline, about 1.5 mm. in diameter, flat on one side showing a slight groove, the other side convex, irregular owing to pressure in the pod. Cotyledons accumbent. Introduced from Europe. A thrifty weed of the mustard family.

Fig 81. [Charlock. Brassica arvensis] (L.) B. S. P.

Charlock. Brassica arvensis (L.) B. S. P. Pods tipped with a flattened elongated-conic, often 1-seeded beak. See also cuts of rutabaga and black mustard. Introduced from Europe. See statements last above.

Fig 82. [Rutabaga. Brassica campestris] L.

Rutabaga. Brassica campestris L. Seed dull, light or dark reddish brown, roughened by an indistinct net work of ridges, very nearly spherical, 1.4–1.8 mm. in diameter. Much cultivated, inclined to escape. Included here for comparison with other species. Introduced from Europe.

Fig 83. [Indian Mustard. Brassica juncea] (L.) Cossos.

Indian Mustard. Brassica juncea (L.) Cossos. See also cuts of turnip and black mustard. Introduced from Europe.

Fig 84. [Black Mustard. Brassica nigra] (L.) Koch.

Black Mustard. Brassica nigra (L.) Koch. Seeds dark brown to reddish brown, 1–1.7 mm., spherical, or broadly oblong, not flattened. The surface of well developed specimens presents a delicate but evident net work of fine ridges which appear under the lens as dark lines. The scar (hilum) is a whitish, elevated spot, at one extremity of the oblong seeds. See cuts of seeds of turnip. Introduced from Europe. A vigorous persistent weed.

Fig 85. [Small Fruited False-Flax. Camelina microcarpa] Andrz.

Small Fruited False-Flax. Camelina microcarpa Andrz. Flowers small, yellow; pods pear-shaped, flattened, about 6 mm. long, surrounded by a vertical ridge; seeds reddish brown, granular, usually broad-oval, about 1 mm. long, slightly flattened, the vertical ridge much less prominent than in C. sativa. When wet the seed is soon covered with mucilage. Not yet very common. Naturalized from Europe.

Fig 86. [False Flax. Camelina saliva] (L.) Crantz.

False Flax. Camelina saliva (L.) Crantz. The common name is derived from the fact that it is a weed of flax fields in Europe. Flowers small, yellowish; pods pear-shaped, slightly flattened, 8–10 mm. long, surrounded by a vertical ridge. Seeds reddish yellow, granular, usually oval, 2–3 mm. long, one side flat or roundish, the other furnished with a prominent vertical or oblique ridge. Seed incumbent. When wet the seed is soon covered with mucilage. Naturalized from Europe.

Fig 87.[Shepherd's Purse. Capsella Bursa-pastoris] (L.) Medic. Bursa Bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton.

Shepherd's Purse. Capsella Bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic. Bursa Bursa-pastoris (L.) Britton. Flowers small, white; pods flat, nearly triangular, about 4 mm. long. Seeds reddish yellow, granular, oblong, slightly flattened, 1 mm. or less long. Each side usually bearing two longitudinal grooves, separating the surface into three nearly equal parts, these grooves indicating the position of the parts of the embryo. When placed in water, a copious coat of transparent mucilage appears on the surface. In Nevada and Colorado a great pest in fields of Alfalfa.

Fig 88. [Hare's Ear. Conringia orientalis] (L.) Dumort.

Hare's Ear. Conringia orientalis (L.) Dumort. Seeds brown, surface checked off into minute irregular pits or patches; broad oval, 2–2.5 mm. long, in section nearly circular, except two opposite slight grooves near one side. Cotyledons incumbent. Introduced, not common.

Fig 89. [Sand Rocket. Diplotaxis muralis] (L.) DC.

Sand Rocket. Diplotaxis muralis (L.) DC. Flowers yellow, seeds reddish yellow or reddish brown, broad oval, somewhat flattened. Mucilaginous when wet. Introduced from Europe. A vigorous weed.

Fig 90.[Worm-seed or Treacle Mustard. Erysimum cheiranthoides] L.

Worm-seed or Treacle Mustard. Erysimum cheiranthoides L. Flowers yellow; seeds reddish yellow, smooth, dull, about 1.2 mm. long, ovoid or oval, more or less flattened, varying much in shape; some of them acute, rhombic or triangular, becoming mucilaginous when wet. Probably introduced from Europe. If not already in some portions of the state, we may at any time expect to find three other species of Erysimum. A vigorous and prominent weed.

Fig 91. [Apetalous Pepper-Grass. Lepidium apetalum] Willd.

Apetalous Pepper-Grass. Lepidium apetalum Willd. Petals usually wanting, sometimes 2 and minute; pods flat, nearly circular; seeds reddish yellow, flattened, ovate, 1.5–1.8 mm. long, or more exactly, nearly straight on one side and roundish on the other. Mucilaginous when wet. Cotyledons incumbent. When well developed in open places it becomes a tumble weed. Apparently naturalized from Europe.

Fig 92. [Field Pepper-Grass or Cow Cress. Lepidium campestre] (L.) R. Br.

Field Pepper-Grass or Cow Cress. Lepidium campestre (L.) R. Br. Petals white; pods flat, nearly circular; seeds dull, dark brown, obovoid, with base acute, more or less flattened on three sides, 2–2.5 mm. long. Mucilaginous when wet. Cotyledons incumbent. Naturalized from Europe.

Fig 93. [Hoary Cress. Lepidium Draba] L.

Hoary Cress. Lepidium Draba L. Seed reddish brown, surface slightly uneven, slightly flattened, oval to broad oval, 2–2.3 mm. long, usually with two slight vertical grooves on each side, incumbent. This may soon appear in Michigan.

Fig 94. [Golden Pepper-grass. Lepidium sativum] L.

Golden Pepper-grass. Lepidium sativum L. Seed reddish yellow to reddish brown, oval, slightly compressed, often nearly straight on one edge, usually showing two vertical grooves on each side, 2.5 mm. long, cotyledons incumbent. This is not a grass but a plant of the mustard family; it has escaped from cultivation.

Fig 95. [Wild Pepper-Grass. Lepidium Virginicum] L.

Wild Pepper-Grass. Lepidium Virginicum L. Petals white, pods flat, nearly circular; seeds granular, dull, reddish yellow, flat, ovoid with one edge straight, the other rounded, usually with a slight wing on the broad end and on the round edge. 1.5–1.8 mm. long. Mucilaginous when wet. Cotyledons accumbent.

When mature, large plants become tumble weeds. Apparently native to this country.

Fig 96. [Ball Mustard. Neslia paniculata] (L.) Desv.

Ball Mustard. Neslia paniculata (L.) Desv. Small fruits, greenish to light yellowish-brown, globular, 2 mm. in diameter, covered with net-veined ridges; 1–2 seeded, cotyledons incumbent. Not yet known in Michigan but may arrive any time. Native of Europe.

Fig 97. [Tall or Tumbling Mustard. Sisymbrium altissimum] L.

Tall or Tumbling Mustard. Sisymbrium altissimum L. Flowers cream-color; pods long and narrow; seeds reddish yellow, oblong, about 1.5 mm. long, the apex winged. Mucilaginous when wet. Cotyledons incumbent. Introduced from Europe. One of the worst weeds in the northwest.

Fig 98. [Hedge Mustard. Sisymbrium officinale] (L.) Scop.

Hedge Mustard. Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop. Flowers yellow, seeds reddish brown or yellow, oblong, while lying on the flat side, circular in outline at the middle as viewed from the edge, straight on one side from the middle tapering to each end. 1–1.5 mm. long. Mucilaginous when wet. Cotyledons incumbent. Introduced from Europe.

Fig 99. [Penny Cress. Thlaspi arvense] L.

Penny Cress. Thlaspi arvense L. Flowers white; pods thin, double convex, nearly circular; seeds deep reddish brown, flat-oval or ovate, covered on each side by 12–14 curved ridges which originate and terminate at the narrow extremity. 1.5–2 mm. long. Cotyledons accumbent. When eaten by cows the milk and meat has a disagreeable taste. A bad weed, especially in the north-west. Introduced from Europe.