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Practical ecological knowledge for the temperate reader. |
Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard) [E-flora]
"Annual, biennial (perennial herb); hairs minute, many-branched, tree-like, occasionally mixed with fewer simple hairs, club-shaped glandular papillae occasionally present. Stem: generally branched distally. Leaf: petioled, finely 1–3-pinnately lobed or divided, basal generally early-deciduous; cauline similar to basal, less divided distally on stem, base not lobed. Inflorescence: elongating. Flower: sepals erect to spreading, base not sac-like; petals obovate, yellow [± white]. Fruit: silique or silicle, dehiscent, linear, oblong, club-shaped, ellipsoid, or obovoid, not flattened, unsegmented; stigma entire. Seed: 5–100, in 1 or 2 rows, ellipsoid to oblong, plump; wing 0.
45–47 species: Eurasia, especially North America and South America, Canary Islands. (F. Descourain, French botanist, 1658–1740) May be TOXIC to livestock. [Detling 1939 Amer Midl Naturalist 22:481–520] Taxonomically difficult, most characters highly variable.
Unabridged note: A taxonomically difficult genus due to extensive variation and continuity in most characters. The extensive interspecific hybridization, polyploidy, fertility among species, weedy tendencies of hybrids and parents, and lack of reliable morphological characters make it difficult to delimit taxa. Numerous infraspecific taxa have been recognized, but without extensive cytological, molecular, and experimental studies, recognition of narrowly defined taxa is neither practical nor useful." [Jepson]
Descurainia spp. "Tansy-mustard. A few species are used by the Indians for greens and in making pinole from the parched and ground seeds (39)."[Krochmal et al.]
"Descurainia pinnata is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Self.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil." [PFAF]
Subtaxa Present in B.C.
"General: Annual herb from a taproot; stems 10-60 cm tall, simple or branched above, sparsely hairy, multibranched, often stalked-glandular above." [IFBC-E-flora]
Notes:
Two highly variable, and often intergrading, varieties occur in our region.
1. Siliques 4-12 mm long, usually nearly equal to or longer than the stalks....................... ssp. intermedia (Rydb.) Detl.
1. Siliques 10-20 mm long, usually shorter than the stalks.................. ssp. filipes (A. Gray) Detl. [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Dry shrublands and waste places in the montane and steppe zones; common in S BC, S to E WA, CO, NV and E CA." [IFBC-E-flora]
Origin Status: Native [E-flora]
Hazard"The plant is said to be toxic to livestock, causing symptoms similar to selenium poisoning[274]. Known as blind staggers or paralyzed tongue, the animals can become blind, wander aimlessly and lose the ability to swallow[274]." [PFAF]
"Diuretic, expectorant, poultice[94]. The ground up seeds have been used in the treatment of stomach complaints[257]. A poultice of the plant has been used to ease the pain of toothache[257]. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a wash on sores[257]." [PFAF]
"The ground flour was used for poultices, and a tea made from it was used for summer complaints, especially for children." [EuCp. P. 26]
Nutritional Information
[Turner&Kunlein]
"We have almost no information on this species but judging by its native range it should succeed in most parts of Britain and is probably not too fussy about soil or situation. We suggest growing it in a dry to moist soil in a sunny position." [PFAF]
"Seed - sow spring in situ." [PFAF]
Synonyms
"Descurainia sophia is a ANNUAL/BIENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft). It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Self.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil." [PFAF]
"General: Annual or biennial herb from a taproot; stems 30-100 cm tall, usually branched above, occasionally from the base; finely starlike-hairy, often greyish, sometimes with some simple hairs." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range Mesic to dry fields and waste places in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent throughout BC except Queen Charlotte Islands and adjacent coast; introduced from Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora]
Origin Status: Exotic. [E-flora]
Food Use
Other Use
Medicinal Use
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food. Seed (Dry weight)
0 Calories per 100g Water : 0% Protein: 27.5g; Fat: 33g; Carbohydrate: 0g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 3.7g; Minerals - Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg; Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg; Reference: [ 218] Notes: The figures given here are median figures of a range that was given in the report. [PFAF]
Cultivation
"We have very little information on the needs of this species but, judging by its habitat it should succeed in most soils in a fairly sunny position." [PFAF]
Propagation
"Seed - sow spring in situ." [PFAF]
Synonyms
Habitat/Range: Southern S. America. [PFAF]
Food Use
Habitat/Range: "Western N. America. A casual in Britain[17]." [PFAF]
Food Use
Medicinal Use
References