Crucif1.html

Idaho Mountain Wildflowers

Mustard Family: Brassicaceae (page 1 of 3)

The Brassicaceae (the name is derived from the Latin word for the mustard plant—an older name, Cruciferae; is still used by some; both names are correct). The Mustard family contains many valuable food plants rich in vitamin C and sulfur compounds—the latter are responsible for the typical smell and taste of foods such as cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, turnip, and mustard (all belong to the genus Brassica ); water cress (Rorippa spp.) radishes (Raphanus spp.) and many others. While these are of great economic importance, the family is also represented by various ornamentals: ornamental cabbages, wall-flowers (Erysimum spp.), rockcresses (Arabis spp.), and others. The flowers typically bear petals that form a cross explaining the older family name "crucifer" (Latin crus = cross + fer = bear). The flowers are often born in a cluster ("raceme"). Leaves usually are simple, alternate, and stemless. Most of the Brassicaceae form seedpods ("siliques"), unique to this family. These and the leaves often have a typical "radishy" taste. Members are represented in our area by several genera and many species, including some with attractive flowers illustrated below and on the next page. Most likely any small, four-petaled, early spring-blooming wildflower is in the mustard family, although—because there so are many similar species—identification can be difficult.

Few-seeded Draba, Draba oligosperma: Draba is the largest genera in the mustard family. The word draba comes from Greek antiquity, apparently used for a now unknown crucifer. Most bloom early, and—given their resemblance to one another their identification often is not easy. At lower altitudes drabas tend to be solitary plants with plain, 4-petaled white, pink or yellow flowers atop long spindly stems, whereas in the mountains the plants form compact clumps and clusters. The one shown here is a cliff-dweller that grows in sun-warmed rocky crevices while there is still snow on nearby slopes, . The clustered leaves and short-stemmed flowers each measure about 1/2" in diameter. There are many similar, often highly localized species; some are shown below.

The Globe-fruited draba, Draba sphaerocarpa, (right) in common with certain other alpine and subalpine plants, is restricted to one mountain range; this one to the Sawtooth mountains in Central Idaho. Its low, compact growth habit is typical of plants that grow on exposed , high windy ridges, as does this one (photographed on Galena Summit, on the divide between the Salmon and Big Wood rivers). Both the common and specific name refer to its rounded fruit (silicles).
The Stanley Creek draba, Draba trichocarpa, shown on the left, is a related plant with an even more restricted range. While it also grows in the Sawtooth range, it is found only near Stanley, Idaho.

The Lance-leaf Draba, Draba brewerii (lanceolata), is another early blooming plant found at higher altitudes. Like D. oligosperma, shown above, it too grows in rocky crevices, although its the clustered flowers are also found on dry open ground or alongside our trails at about 7000' and higher. In the past, drabas were commonly known as "whitlow -worts" or "nail-worts", for they were used medicinally as poultices to treat "whitlows", a nail infection commonly known as a "run -around." William Henry Brewer (1828-1910) whose name is attached to this species accompanied Whitney's California survey as a botanist and later became professor of agriculture at Yale.

The Spring draba, Draba verna, is a common, non-native, spring-blooming plant that was imported—probably as a contaminant —with other seeds or in cattle feed from Europe or Asia at some time in the past. The same is true of many other weedy crucifers (several shown on another page). The spring draba, or spring whitlow-grass, grows thoughout the United States and Canada. It is commonly encountered growing at lower altitudes in our mountains. The plant is easily identified by clustered bright-white flowers bearing four deeply cleft petals that are arranged in opposing pairs.

Home | Next | Previous | Index

*Few-seeded Draba, Draba oligosperma:* Draba is the largest genera in the mustard family. The word draba comes from Greek antiquity, apparently used for a now unknown crucifer. Most bloom early, and—given their resemblance to one another their identification often is not easy. At lower altitudes drabas tend to be solitary plants with plain, 4-petaled white, pink or yellow flowers atop long spindly stems, whereas in the mountains the plants form compact clumps and clusters. The one shown here is a cliff-dweller that grows in sun-warmed rocky crevices while there is still snow on nearby slopes, . The clustered leaves and short-stemmed flowers each measure about 1/2" in diameter. There are many similar, often highly localized species; some are shown below.
	The Globe-fruited draba, Draba sphaerocarpa, (right) in common with certain other alpine and subalpine plants, is restricted to one mountain range; this one to the Sawtooth mountains in Central Idaho. Its low, compact growth habit is typical of plants that grow on exposed , high windy ridges, as does this one (photographed on Galena Summit, on the divide between the Salmon and Big Wood rivers). Both the common and specific name refer to its rounded fruit (silicles). The Stanley Creek draba, Draba trichocarpa, shown on the left, is a related plant with an even more restricted range. While it also grows in the Sawtooth range, it is found only near Stanley, Idaho.
The Lance-leaf Draba, Draba brewerii (lanceolata), is another early blooming plant found at higher altitudes. Like D. oligosperma, shown above, it too grows in rocky crevices, although its the clustered flowers are also found on dry open ground or alongside our trails at about 7000' and higher. In the past, drabas were commonly known as "whitlow -worts" or "nail-worts", for they were used medicinally as poultices to treat "whitlows", a nail infection commonly known as a "run -around." William Henry Brewer (1828-1910) whose name is attached to this species accompanied Whitney's California survey as a botanist and later became professor of agriculture at Yale.
The Spring draba, Draba verna, is a common, non-native, spring-blooming plant that was imported—probably as a contaminant —with other seeds or in cattle feed from Europe or Asia at some time in the past. The same is true of many other weedy crucifers (several shown on another page). The spring draba, or spring whitlow-grass, grows thoughout the United States and Canada. It is commonly encountered growing at lower altitudes in our mountains. The plant is easily identified by clustered bright-white flowers bearing four deeply cleft petals that are arranged in opposing pairs.