SYMBRIUM OFFICINALE

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE/Sect. VELARUM

Common Names:- Hedge mustard

Homotypic Synonyms:- Chamaeplium officinale, Erysimum officinale.

Meaning:- Sisymbrium (Gr) An ancient Greek name for various plants.

Officinale (L) Officinal medicine.

General description:- Annual or biennial

Stems:-

1) 5-100(-130) cm.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, pinnatisect, more or less ovate in outline, with a large terminal lobe.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, ebracteate.

2) Petals, 2-4 mm.

3) Pedicels, 1-2 mm.

4) Anthers, c. 0·7 mm;

5) Ovary, with 10-20 ovules.

Fruit:-

1) Siliqua, (7-)10 20 x 1-1·6 mm, conical-cylindrical, straight, attenuate into the

style.

2) Seeds. 1-1·7 mm.

Key features:-

1) Inflorescence, ebracteate (rarely lowest 1-3 flowers bracteate).

2) Petals, 2-4 mm.

3) Siliqua, (7-)10-20 mm, straight, conical-cylindrical; closely appressed to the

stem.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Weed of terraced fields, gardens and orchards, but also by streams and

in wood- land clearings. 0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Common throughout Greece. - A widespread Euro-Siberian species ,

introduced and naturalised in temperate areas. Fairly common throughout Crete,

though more sparse in the central region.

Flowering time:- Mid-Mar to early Aug.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons