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evening stock, Matthiola longipetala, night-scented stock

Habit Annuals; sparsely to moderately pubescent, (glandular papillae present or not).
Stems

erect or ascending to decumbent, (1–)1.5–5(–6) dm, pubescent, (glandular or not).

Basal leaves

not forming vegetative rosettes.

Cauline leaves

petiole to 2 cm or (distal) sessile;

blade linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or oblanceolate, (2–)3.5–8(–11) cm × 2–10(–20) mm (smaller distally), base attenuate to cuneate, margins usually pinnatisect to sinuate or dentate, rarely entire or subentire.

Flowers

sepals narrowly oblong, (7–)8–11(–12.5) × 1–2 mm;

petals usually purple, pink, yellow, or brown, rarely white, oblong to linear-lanceolate, (15–)18–23(–27) × 2–4(–5) mm, claw 7–13 mm, (margin crisped), apex subacute to obtuse;

filaments 4–6 mm;

anthers 2.5–3.5 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

divaricate to divaricate-ascending, straight, (0.5–)1–2(–3) mm, nearly as thick as fruit.

Fruits

ascending to divaricate or, rarely, descending, straight, terete, (2.5–)4–8.5(–10) cm × 1–2 mm;

valves pubescent, (often glandular);

style obsolete to 3 mm;

stigma horns 2, straight or curved upward, sometimes reflexed, 2–8(–12) mm.

Seeds

suborbicular to oblong or ovate, 1–2 × 0.8–1.2 mm;

wing 0.1–0.2 mm.

2n

= 14.

Matthiola longipetala

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Roadsides, disturbed areas, waste grounds, fields
Elevation 700-1300 m (2300-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; TX; AB; ON; SK; Europe; c Asia; w Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Australia]
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Matthiola longipetala is sporadically naturalized in North America and Australia.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 254.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Anchonieae > Matthiola
Sibling taxa
M. incana
Synonyms Cheiranthus longipetalus, Cheiranthus bicornis, M. bicornis, M. longipetala subsp. bicornis
Name authority (Ventenat) de Candolle: Syst. Nat. 2: 174. (1821)
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