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hirschfeldia, Mediterranean mustard, or summer mustard, perennial, shortpod, shortpod mustard

Stems

(simple or several from base), erect, branched basally and distally.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

petiolate or subsessile;

basal rosulate, petiolate, blade lyrate to pinnatifid, margins crenate-dentate;

cauline subsessile or petiolate, blade (base not auriculate), margins dentate or pinnatifid.

Racemes

(corymbose, several-flowered), considerably elongated in fruit.

Flowers

sepals widely spreading or reflexed, oblong, lateral pair not saccate basally;

petals yellow, obovate to spatulate, claw differentiated from blade, (apex obtuse);

stamens tetradynamous;

filaments not dilated basally;

anthers oblong or ovate, (apex obtuse);

nectar glands not confluent, median glands present.

Fruiting pedicels

erect, stout.

Fruits

siliques, dehiscent, sessile, segments 2, linear, slightly torulose, terete or slightly 4-angled; (proximal segment not torulose, somewhat corky at maturity, 8–20-seeded; terminal segment indehiscent, 1- or 2-seeded, slightly swollen apically);

valves 3(–7)-veined, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent;

replum rounded;

septum complete;

ovules 10–22 per ovary; (style present);

stigma capitate, entire.

Seeds

uniseriate, plump, not winged, globose;

seed coat (smooth to finely reticulate), mucilaginous when wetted;

cotyledons conduplicate.

Annual

or biennials;

not scapose;

pubescent.

x

= 7.

Hirschfeldia

Distribution
from USDA
Eurasia; nw Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America, s Africa, Atlantic Islands, Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Australia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 1.

It is with some hesitation that I recognize this genus; it should perhaps be united with Erucastrum, as recently proposed for conservation by I. A. Al-Shehbaz (2005b). As clearly shown by S. I. Warwick and L. D. Black (1993), Brassica, Diplotaxis, and Erucastrum are artificially delimited genera, and a substantial revision of their boundaries is needed.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 436. Author: Suzanne I. Warwick.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Brassiceae
Subordinate taxa
H. incana
Name authority Moench: Methodus, 264. (1794)
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