Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 143 



COMMON MUSTARD (Brassica nigra) (EURO- 

 PEAN). Mustard is extensively cultivated in Europe 

 for the small dark brown seeds that form a valuable 

 article of commerce, being used for the table condi- 

 ment and for various medicinal purposes, such as 

 liniments and the dreaded mustard plaster. 



In our country, Mustard is regarded as a pest; it 

 is a very strong, hardy plant, soon over-running sec- 

 tions where it gets a foothold. It is very abundant 

 about abandoned farms and often enroaches upon 

 fields in cultivation; its continued presence in the 

 latter case usually is a sign of shiftlessness on the 

 part of the owner. The stem is very branching and 

 grows to heights of from 2 to 7 feet. The four-petal- 

 ed, light yellow flowers are in small dense clusters 

 at the ends of the branches; a trail of small, erect 

 seed-pods is left in the wake of the flowers as they 

 continue to bloom along the lengthening stem. The 

 leaves have a large terminal, notched lobe and small- 

 er lateral ones. 



CHARLOCK; FIELD MUSTARD (B. arvensis) has 

 slightly larger flowers (over one half inch broad), the 

 seed pods are much longer (nearly two inches) and 

 do not hug the stem as closely; the outline of the 

 seeds is plainly visible in the pods. The leaves are 

 notched but not divided nearly as much as those of 

 the Common or Black Mustard. It is very common, 

 as an obnoxious weed,, everywhere and was also in- 

 troduced into this country from Europe. 



HEDGE MUSTARD (Sisymbrium o ff i c i n a I e ) 

 (EUROPEAN), This is also a common weed, brought 

 from Europe, that keeps the thrifty farmer everlast- 

 ingly busy trying to exterminate it. It has tiny, four- 

 petalled yellow flowers that bloom all summer, along 

 the lengthening stem, and leaves numerous tiny pods 

 closely set against the stem. The leaves are more 

 angular and more finely divided than those of the 

 Common Mustard. 



