Lepidium, XIII. CRUC1FER.E. 161 



at margin. Flowers small, in terminal racemes, Silicles large, flat, with 

 dilated wings. The plant has a disagreeable flavor of garlic. June.^ 



2. T. ALLIACEUM. 



Lvs. oblong, obtuse, somewhat dentate, upper ones sagittate-amplexicaul, 

 with acute auricles; silicles ovatc-vcnlricose ; stii^. subsessile. — In cultivated 

 fields. Western States, not common. Stems G — 10' high. Lower leaves pelio- 

 late. Flowers smaller than in T. arvense, in terminal racemes. This also 

 savors of garlic. May — Jl. ^ 



3. T. TUBKROSUM. Nutt. 



Rt. tuberiferous and fibrous ; st. pubescent, simple, short ; lvs. rhomboid- 

 ovate, obscurely dentate, smooth and sessile, radical ones petiolate; silicle sub- 

 orbicular. — % Penn. Stem not more than 4 — 5' high. Flowers rather large, 

 rose-colored. Apr. May. 



2. CAPSELLA. Vent. 



Diminutive from capsa, a chest or box ; alluding to the fruit. 



Calyx equal at base ; silicles triangular-cuneiform, obcordate, com 

 pressed laterally ; valves carinatc, not winged on the back ; septum 

 sublinear; style short; seeds 00; oblong, small, 0||. — ® Fls. white. 

 A troublesome weed. 



C. BuRSA-PASTORis. Mccuch. (Thlaspi Bursa-pastoris. Linn.) Shepherd's 



purse. 



Found everywhere, in fields, pastures, and roadsides. Stem 6 — 8 — 12' high, 

 nearly smooth in the upper part, hirsute below, striate, branching. Root-leaves 

 rosulate, 2 — ;'< — 8' long, \ as wide, cut-lobed, on margined petioles ; segments 

 about 13. These leaves are sometimes wanting, (when the weed is crowded,) or 

 only dentate. Stem-leaves much smaller, very narrow, with two small, acute 

 auricles at base, half clasping the stem. Flowers small, in racemes, which are 

 finally 3 — 12' long Silicle smooth, triangular, emarginate at the end, and tipped 

 with the style. April — Sept.- ^ 



3. LEPIDIUM. R.Br. 



Gr. XcTTjf, a scale; from the resenil)lance of the silicle. 



Sepals ovate ; petals ovate, entire ; silicles oval-orbicular, emar- 

 ginate ; septum very narrow, crossing the greater diameter ; valves 

 carinate, dehiscent ; cells 1-seeded, 0|| or 0=. — Fls. white. 



1. L. ViRGiNicuM. Wild Pepper-grass. 



Lvs. linear-lanceolate, incisely serrate, smooth; st. paniculately branched 

 above; sfa. 2 — 1; silicles orbicular, emarginate; seeds 0— . — In diy fields 

 and road-sides, U. S. Stem rigid, round, smooth. If high. Leaves 1 — 2' 

 by 1 — 3" , acute, tapering at base into a petiole, upper ones sessile, lower pinna- 

 tifidiy cut. Flowers and silicles very numerous, in a panicle ot racemes. FVs. 

 very small, mostly diandrous ; silicles lens-shaped, 1^" diam., with a notch at the 

 end. Taste pungent, like that of the garden pepper-grass, Jn. — Oct. 



2. L. CAMPESTRE, R. Br. (Thlaspi campestris. Linn.) Yellow Seed. 



Cauline lvs. sagittate, denticulate ; silicles ovate, winged, emarginate, scaly- 

 punctate. — (D In waste places and dry fields, especiallv among flax. Stein 

 strictly erect, round, minutely downy, (3 — 10' high, branching. Leaves 1' long, 

 \ as wide, acute, with 2 lobes at base, upper one clasping the stem, all minutelv 

 velvety. Flowers small. Silicles l\" long, numerous, in long racemes. Jn. Jl.<^ 



3. L, RUDERALE. 



Lvs. cauline, incised, those of the branches linear, entire ; Jls. apetalous, 

 and with but 2 stamens ; silicles broadly oval or suborbicular, emarginate, wing- 

 less ; cohjl. II .—Dry fields, Mich., la.. Mo. Stem 10—15' high. Racemes 

 many. Flowers remarkable for wanting the petals, which are always present 

 in our other species. 



4. L. SATIVUM. Peppcrgrass. — Z/r5. variouslv divided and cut ; branches ^'\{\i- 

 out spines ; silicles orbicular, winged.— (J) Native of the East. Stems 1— 3f 



