SINAPIS ARVENSIS

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE

Common Names:- Charlock

Homotypic Synonyms:- Brassica arvensis, Raphanus arvensis,

Rhamphospermum arvense, Sinapistrum arvense.

Meaning:- Sinapis (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus for

mustard.

Arvensis (L) Of the cultivated/ploughed field.

General description:- Annual.

Stems:-

1) Up to 80 cm, usually hispid at least below, but, sometimes glabrous.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 20 cm, usually hispid.

2) Lower, petiolate, lyrate, with a large, coarsely toothed terminal lobe, usually with

several smaller lateral lobes.

3) Upper, more or less sessile, usually simple, ovate to lanceolate.

Flowers:-

1) Petals, 10-16 x 5-8 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Siliqua, 25-45(-55) x (1·5-)2·5-4 mm, patent to erect; valves glabrous or with

short, stiff, deflexed hairs; beak 7-16 mm, straight.

2) Seeds, (7)8-13, reddish-brown or blackish.

Key features:-

1) Siliqua, at least 25 mm, glabrous or with short, stiff, deflexed hairs.

2) Beak, cylindrical or conical, not or scarcely compressed, shorter than to about

equalling the valvar portion of siliqua.

3) Seeds, (7)8-17.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Weed of cultivated fields orchards and roadsides, rarely in semi-natural

habitats by wood margins etc., 0-500(-1400).

Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - Probably native to the Mediterranean area now

an almost cosmopolitan weed. Somewhat scattered across Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to June. sometimes later.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons