Sinapis L. Sinapis Sinapis, L.

89. Sinapis L. 1

Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves pinnatifid or pinnatisect. Sepals patent, equal or subequal; petals yellow, clawed. Lateral

nectaries not prismatic. Fruit a siliqua with a long beak; valves distinctly 3- to 7-veined. Seeds in 1 row in each loculus, globose.

1 Siliqua with 8-17 seeds; beak cylindrical or conical, not or scarcely compressed

2 Ripe siliqua 25 mm or more, glabrous or with short, stiff, deflexed hairs 1. arvensis 2 Ripe siliqua not more than 25 mm, densely covered with long, fine, ascending hairs 2. pubescens 1 Siliqua with 4-8 seeds; beak strongly compressed

3 Fruiting pedicels usually 6-15 mm; petals more than 10 mm; sepals more than 4-5 mm; leaves variably covered with short, stiff hairs, but scarcely scabrid 3. alba 3 Fruiting pedicels usually 3-9 mm; petals less than 8 mm;

sepals less than 4-5 mm; leaves scabrid with short, stiff"hairs

4. flexuosa

1. S. arvensis L., Sp. Pl. 668 (1753)

(incl. S. orientalis L. , 5. schkuhriana Reichenb.).

Annual; stems up to 80 cm, usually hispid at least below, sometimes glabrous. Leaves up to 20 cm, usually hispid; lower stalked, lyrate, with large, coarsely toothed terminal lobe, usually with several smaller lateral lobes; upper leaves sessile, usually simple, lanceolate. Siliqua 25-45(-55) x (l-5-)2'5-4 mm, patent; valves glabrous (or with short, stiff, deflexed hairs, var. orientalis (L.) Koch & Ziz ); beak 10-15 mm, straight. Seeds usually 8-13, reddish-brown or blackish. 2n = 18. A weed o farable land. Native probably in the Mediterranean region, but introduced throughout Europe, becoming rarer in the north. All except Az Sb; only casual in Fa Is.

Var. orientalis (L.) Koch & Ziz is as widespread as the type.