Nasturtium. CRUCIFER^. 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; Tiasus 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.— Z)C. syst. 2. p. 191 ; Hooh.fl. Bor.-Am. l.p. 39; Torr. ^ Gr. ft. 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. <Sf Gr. jl. N. Am. 1. p. 74. Sisymbrium hispidum. Pair. 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, paniclcd. 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- 

 lipslown, Putnam county, where it was found many years ago by Dr. Barratt. These are 

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



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