Flora of North America species comparison

usually erect or ascending, rarely decumbent, usually branched, rarely simple.

basal and cauline;

petiolate or subsessile;

basal not rosulate, petiolate, blade 1- or 2-pinnatisect, margins entire;

cauline subsessile or shortly petiolate, blade 1- or 2-pinnatisect, (base not auriculate), margins entire.

petiolate or sessile;

blade base auriculate or not, margins entire, dentate, serrate, or pinnately lobed.

absent or simple.

(lax), considerably elongated in fruit.

usually ebracteate, often elongated in fruit.

sepals erect, oblong-linear, lateral pair slightly saccate basally;

petals cream or pale yellow (with dark purple or brown veins, longer than sepals), spatulate to obovate, claw strongly differentiated from blade;

stamens tetradynamous, (erect);

filaments not dilated basally;

anthers ovate to oblong, (apiculate);

nectar glands: lateral intrastaminal, globose to semi-annular, median glands present (distinct).

actinomorphic;

sepals erect, ascending, or spreading, lateral pair saccate or not basally;

petals white, cream, yellow, pink, lilac, lavender, or purple, claw present, often distinct;

filaments unappendaged, not winged;

pollen 3-colpate.

strongly recurved, often secund, not thickened.

silicles, dehiscent, sessile, segments 2, ovoid to ellipsoid, terete; (proximal segment not torulose, 4–6-seeded; terminal segment indehiscent, flattened, cochleariform to short-lingulate, seedless);

valves each with prominent midvein and distinct marginal veins, glabrous except setose or hirsute on veins;

replum rounded;

septum complete;

ovules 4–6 per ovary; (style obscure);

stigma capitate, 2-lobed.

silicles or siliques, dehiscent or indehiscent, usually segmented, usually latiseptate or terete (subterete or 4-angled in Erucastrum) [angustiseptate];

ovules (1–)2–276[–numerous] per ovary;

style usually distinct (absent in Cakile, obscure in Carrichtera, obsolete in Eruca);

stigma entire or strongly 2-lobed (sometimes slightly 2-lobed in Cakile).

biseriate, plump, not winged, subglobose;

seed coat (smooth), mucilaginous when wetted;

cotyledons conduplicate.

biseriate, uniseriate, or aseriate;

cotyledons usually conduplicate, rarely accumbent or incumbent (in Cakile).

= 8.