MUSTARD FAMILY. Cruciferas. 



MUSTARD FAMILY. Cruciferce. 



The Latin name of this family, from Crux, a cross, 

 arose from the resemblance of the four opposing petals 

 of its flowers to the form of a cross. There are also four 

 deciduous sepals, one pistil, and six stamens, two of 

 which are short; rarely there are less than six. The 

 flowers are generally small and not showy, but they 

 produce honey, and are accordingly frequently visited 

 by the honeybees, the smaller bees, and the brilliantly 

 colored flies of the family Syiyhidce. 



A low^ woodland plant with inconspicu- 

 CHnkllr^'oot'*'^ ous flowers f inch wide, having four pet- 

 Dentaria als and many yellow stamens. The basal 



diphylla leaves long-stemmed, three-lobed, and 



White toothed, the two upper stem-leaves similar 



^*y and opposite; all smooth. The flowers 



borne in a small terminal cluster. The slender seed- 

 pods one inch long. The long root is wrinkled, toothed, 

 and is edible, possessing a pleasant pungent flavor, like 

 watercress. 8-13 inches high. In rich woodlands and 

 damp meadows, from Me., south to S. Car., west to Minn. 

 A similar species, but with the leaves 

 t" th*^rt <ieeply cut into narrow lobes, sharply and 

 Dentaria Coarsely toothed ; three are borne upon 



laciniata the smooth, or sparingly woolly stem not 



White or f^r below the flower-cluster. The basal 



A " 'l-M leaves are developed after the flowering 



time. The flow^ers are often faintly tinged 

 with magenta-pink. Root also peppery. Common every- 

 where in moist w^oods or on the borders of thickets. 

 Spring Cress ^ smooth and less conspicuous, slender 



Cardamine plant found beside springs, or in w^et 

 rhomboidea meadows, with somewhat angularly round 

 White root-leaves, and sparingly coarse-toothed, 



*^ ovate stem-leaves. The flowers, like tooth- 

 wort, ^ inch broad, succeeded by a long beanlike pod. 

 6-16 inches high. Common every where. Thevar.pwr- 

 purea, with magenta-purple flowers, has a slightly 

 woolly stem, and blooms a little earlier. Western N. Y., \ 

 south to Md., and west to Wis. and S. Dak. 

 i60 



