SPECIES DESCRIPTION
CARDAMINE HIRSUTA
Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE
Common Name:- Hairy bitter-cress
Homotypic Synonyms:- Crucifera cardamine, Ghinia hirsuta.
Meaning:- Cardamine (Gr) A name used by the Greek physician and botanist
Dioscorides for cress.
Hirsuta (L) Hairy.
General description:- An erect annual plant. Branched only from the base.
Stem:-
1) 3-30 cm, usually glabrous.
Leaves:-
1) Lowest, in a distinct rosette, pinnate, with 1-6(7) pairs of obovate to orbicular
lateral leaflets and a larger, reniform terminal leaflet.
2) Cauline, 0-4(5), smaller than the basal leaves, with 2-5 pairs of smaller leaflets;
leaflets angular, hairy on the upper surface.
Flowers:-
1) White.
2) Pedicels 1-2 mm at anthesis.
3) Petals 2·5-4(-5) mm or absent, about twice as long as the sepals.
4) Stamens 4 or 5(6).
5) Style 0·2-1 mm, conical.
Fruit:-
1) Siliqua 10-25 x 0·8-1·4 mm, erect, overtopping the flowers.
2) Seeds 0·7-1·2 x 0·7-0·8 mm.
Key features:-
1) Most flowers with 4 or 5 stamens.
2) Stem glabrous, not flexuous.
3) Cauline leaves 0-4(5).
Habitat:- Rocky slopes and screes, stream-banks and ruderal on open disturbed
ground 0-1100 m. (occasionally to 1700 m.).
Distribution:- Widespread throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread on Crete, but
more common in the west.
.
Flowering time:- Feb-May, occasionally later.
Photos by:- Georgia Markantonaki
