Nastttrtium. CRUCIFERiE. 51 



1. NASTURTIUM. R. Br. in hort. Kew. {ed. 2.) 4. p. 109 ; Endl. gen. 4850. CRESS. 



[Name derived from the supposed effects of its acrid juices upon the muscles of the nose; nams tortus, signifying a con- 

 vulsed nose.] 



Silique nearly terete, sometimes short so as to resemble a silicle, usually curved upward. 

 Stigma somewhat 2-lobed. Sepals spreading, equal at the base. Seeds small, irregularly 

 disposed in a double series, not margined. — Aquatic or sub-aquatic herbs. Leaves often 

 pinnately divided. Flowers yellow or white. 



1. Nasturtium palustre, DC. Marsh Cress. 



Leaves pinnately lobed, clasping and ciliate at the base, smooth ; the lobes confluent and 

 toothed ; root fusiform ; petals as long as the sepals ; siliques more or less ovoid, spreading, 

 obtuse at each end, somewhat turgid, rather longer (sometimes shorter) than the pedicels ; 

 style very short. — DC. syst. 2. p. 191 ; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. \.p. 39; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. 

 \.p. 73. 



Root perennial, slender, but fusiform, with numerous fibres. Stem 12-18 inches high, 

 glabrous, branching above. Leaves 2-3 inches long, with 4-6 pairs of oblong lanceolate 

 lobes. Flowers very small, yellow. Peduncles of the fruit 2-4 lines long, spreading almost 

 horizontally. Siliques 2-3 lines long, varying from roundish to oblong-ovoid, tipped with 

 a very short but distinct style. 



Wet gravelly places, particularly along rivers. June - August. A common coarse plant, 

 found in many parts of the State, 



2. Nasturtium hispidum, DC. Hispid Cress. 



Plant hispidly pubescent ; leaves pinnatifidly lobed, or runcinate-pinnatifid ; the lobes rather 

 obtusely toothed ; siliques (minute) ovoid, tumid, pointed with the distinct style, scarcely half 

 as long as the somewhat spreading pedicels ; petals rather shorter than the calyx. — DC. syst. 

 2. p. 201 ; Torr. ^ Gr. jl. N. Am. 1. p. 74. Sisymbrium hispidum, Poir. enc. 5. p. 161. 



Root perennial, or enduring at least three seasons. Stem 2-4 feet high, much branched 

 towards the summit, clothed (as also the leaves) with villous but rough pubescence. Leaves 

 2-4 inches long, and nearly an inch wide, more or less deeply pinnatifid, with from 4 to 6 

 pairs of lobes. Racemes very numerous, panicled. Flower smaller than in the preceding 

 species, yellow. Siliques scarcely more than a line long, slightly compressed. Style about 

 half the length of the fruit ; stigma capitate. Pedicels 2-3 lines long. 



Wet places, along rivulets. Abundant on Murderer's creek, near Newburgh ; also in Phil- 

 lipstown, Putnam county, where it was found many years ago by Dr. Barrett. These are 

 the only known localities of the plant in our State. It flowers from July to August. 



7» 



