ERUCA VESICARIA

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE

Common Names:- Rocket, rognette.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Brassica vesicaria, Eruca sativa subsp. vesicaria,

Eruca sativa var. vesicaria, Euzomum vesicarium, Raphanus vesicarius

Velleruca vesicaria.

Meaning:- Eruca (L) Belch.

Vesicaria (L) Bladder-like.

General description:- A short to tall foetid, bristly annual.

Stem:-

1) 20-50 cm tall, glabrous or hispidulous towards the base.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, usually lyrate-pinnatisect or pinnatifid.

Flowers:-

1) Radially symmetrical, white,pale yellow or pale lilac, with violet veins, from 18 to

30 mm in diam., joined together in long racemes.

2) Petals, 15-24 mm, long-clawed, pale yellow or cream, veined brownish-purple.

3) Stigma, deeply 2-lobed.

4) Corolla, with 4 free petals from 15 to 20mm length.

5) Calyx, with 4 erect sepals, often with purple marks.

Fruit:-

1) Siliquae, suberect, 15-30 x 2-4 mm, oblong to narrowly ellipsoid, somewhat

compressed, with a lanceolate beak; valves 1-veined.

2) Seeds, in 2 rows.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy coastal habitats, fallow fields, open dry shrubby vegetation,

roadsides and waste-ground. 0-400(-1000) m.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Widespread

and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- (Feb-)Mar-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton