Microthlaspi

F. K. Meyer

Feddes Repert. 84: 452. 1973.

Etymology: Greek micro- , small, and genus Thlaspi
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 599. Mentioned on page 226, 230, 239, 746.

Annuals; not scapose; (glaucous). Stems erect or subdecumbent, unbranched or branched. Leaves basal and cauline; petiolate, sessile, or subsessile; basal (withered by fruiting), loosely rosulate or not; petiolate [subsessile], blade margins entire or obscurely dentate; cauline blade (base cordate to amplexicaul), margins entire or repand. Racemes (several-flowered), considerably elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels divaricate, straight or recurved, slender. Flowers: sepals ovate or oblong, (margins membranous); petals white, oblong or spatulate, (sometimes slightly unequal), claw (short or) undifferentiated from blade, (apex rounded [obtuse]); stamens slightly tetradynamous; filaments not dilated basally; anthers ovate, (apex obtuse); nectar glands (2 or 4), lateral, 1 on each side of lateral stamen (when 4). Fruits sessile, usually obcordate, rarely obovate, (apex emarginate), strongly angustiseptate; valves keeled, (winged around, much wider apically); replum rounded; septum complete, (not veined); ovules (4–)6–8(–10) per ovary; style obsolete or distinct, (included in apical notch of fruit); stigma capitate. Seeds plump, not winged, ovoid; seed coat (smooth), mucilaginous when wetted; cotyledons accumbent. x = 7.

Distribution

Introduced; Europe, Asia, n Africa.

Discussion

Species 4 (1 in the flora).