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Mountain Wildflowers

Mustard Family: Brassicaceae (page 3 of 3)

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The Western, or Pursh's Wall Flower, Erysimum capitatum: The western wall flower stands out against an often drab background by virtue of its saturated, yellow-orange petals. It, or related varieties, are found throughout the west (“prairie rocket” is one of its common names). In our area it is almost always found growing on rocky slopes and in talus fields, at mid- to sub-alpine elevations. After the petals fall away, the flower tubes form seed bearing “siliques”—characteristic of the crucifers as a whole. The wall flower’s generic name Erysimum was used by the Greeks for a related plant; it is believed to have been derived from a word that means “to draw out” from its use as a mustard-plaster—a medicinal use of mustard seeds employed until relatively recently. The species name, capitatum, means “head,” for the flower cluster’s round shape. Lewis and Clark collected the western wall flower while they were camped near present-day Kamiah, ID, on 1 June, 1806.

The Alpine Bladderpod, Lesquerella alpina, can be found in the spring, growing in scattered clumps on exposed, dry, sub-alpine ridges. It is named for American botanist, Leo Lesquereux (1805 - 1889). Although they don't show well in the illustration, its fruiting bodies are almost round, explaining the derivation of the common name "bladderpod."

The Western Bladderpod, Lesquerella occidentale, is a smaller, more common lesquerella. It grows on gravelly ground at lower elevations as well as on higher mountain slopes, and further north than does the alpine bladderpod shown above. Its cupped, furry leaves help to identify the western bladderpod; they are unique to this species.

Many of the Crucifera that grow in the mountain west are Eurasian weedy imports characterized by their four petaled, usually yellow or white flowers. The ubiquitous Field Pennycress, Thlaspi arvense, (right) is one of the commonest and it is now found well away from cultivated areas, often at higher elevations. Its common name is derived from its discoid fruiting bodies ("silicles"). Another imported weed, the Blue Mustard, Chorispora tenella (left) is unusual, for there is no other crucifer in our area with similar blue to purple flowers.

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The Western, or Pursh's Wall Flower, Erysimum capitatum: The western wall flower stands out against an often drab background by virtue of its saturated, yellow-orange petals. It, or related varieties, are found throughout the west (“prairie rocket” is one of its common names). In our area it is almost always found growing on rocky slopes and in talus fields, at mid- to sub-alpine elevations. After the petals fall away, the flower tubes form seed bearing “siliques”—characteristic of the crucifers as a whole. The wall flower’s generic name Erysimum was used by the Greeks for a related plant; it is believed to have been derived from a word that means “to draw out” from its use as a mustard-plaster—a medicinal use of mustard seeds employed until relatively recently. The species name, capitatum, means “head,” for the flower cluster’s round shape. Lewis and Clark collected the western wall flower while they were camped near present-day Kamiah, ID, on 1 June, 1806.
The *Alpine Bladderpod, Lesquerella alpina,* can be found in the spring, growing in scattered clumps on exposed, dry, sub-alpine ridges. It is named for American botanist, Leo Lesquereux (1805 - 1889). Although they don't show well in the illustration, its fruiting bodies are almost round, explaining the derivation of the common name "bladderpod."
The Western Bladderpod, Lesquerella occidentale, is a smaller, more common lesquerella. It grows on gravelly ground at lower elevations as well as on higher mountain slopes, and further north than does the alpine bladderpod shown above. Its cupped, furry leaves help to identify the western bladderpod; they are unique to this species.
	Many of the Crucifera that grow in the mountain west are Eurasian weedy imports characterized by their four petaled, usually yellow or white flowers. The ubiquitous Field Pennycress, Thlaspi arvense, (right) is one of the commonest and it is now found well away from cultivated areas, often at higher elevations. Its common name is derived from its discoid fruiting bodies ("silicles"). Another imported weed, the Blue Mustard, Chorispora tenella (left) is unusual, for there is no other crucifer in our area with similar blue to purple flowers.