
MUSTARD FAMILY. Cruciferae. 
MUSTARD FAMILY. Cruciferae. 
A large family, widely distributed. Both the English 
and Latin names are appropriate, for the watery juice of 
these plants is pungent, like mustard, and the flowers 
spread out their four petals in the form of a cross. They 
are herbs, the leaves alternate or from the root, usually 
with no leaf-stalks. The flowers have four petals, with 
claws; four sepals, the two outer ones narrow, apt to drop 
off; six stamens, twoof them short. The ovary is superior, 
usually with a single style and stigma, and usually de- 
velops into a pod, divided in two by a transparent parti- 
tion, which remains after the pod has opened from below; 
in some kinds the pod remains closed. The flowers 
generally grow in clusters and though they are often small 
they produce honey and so are frequented by bees and 
flies. The family is easily recognized by the four petals 
and in most species by two stamens being shorter than the 
others, but the flowers are so much alike that the various 
kinds have to be determined by examining the fruit. 
Radish and Horse-radish, Mustard and Water-cress all 
belong to this family, as well as many familiar garden 
flowers, such as Sweet Alyssum, Candytuft, Rockets, and 
Stocks, and many are common weeds, such as Peppergrass 
and Shepherd’s Purse. 
There are several kinds of Dentaria, smooth perennials, 
with rather large white or pink flowers and tuberous root- 
stocks. 
A charming plant, with a purplish stem, 
Milk Maids, from six inches to two feet tall, and pretty 
Pepper-root 
Deniaria leaves, varying in shape, those from the 
Californica root being roundish in outline, or with 
White, pink three leaflets, but the stem-leaves with 
—— three or five leaflets. The flowers are 
Cal., Ore 
e about three-quarters of an inch across, 
with pure-white or pale-pink petals. This is one of the 
loveliest of the early spring flowers in the Coast Ranges 
and usually found in damp spots, both in woods and open 
places, often whitening the meadows with its blossoms. 
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