SPECIES DESCRIPTION
SISYMBRIUM ORIENTALE

Family and Genus:- See- CRUCIFERAE/Sect. SISYMBRIUM

Common Names:- Eastern rocket

Homotypic Synonyms:- Hesperis orientalis, Sisymbrium columnae var.
orientale.

Meaning:- Sisymbrium (Gr) An ancient Greek name for various plants.
                  Orientale (L) Eastern, oriental of the east.         
                
General description:- Herbaceous annual.

Stems:-
1) Up to 100 cm, softly pubescent; usually hispid at the base.

Leaves:-
1) First-formed basal, minute, oblong-obovate, subentire.
2) Later-formed basal and lower cauline, sinuate-pinnatifid.
3) Upper, petiolate, simple, 3-lobed or hastate, the terminal lobe linear
    or lanceolate.

Flowers:-
1) Petals, (6-)7-10 mm, pale yellow.
2) Outer sepals, without a short horn at the apex.
3) Pedicels, 4-10 mm.
4) Anthers, 1-2 mm.
5) Style, 0·2-3·5 mm, clavate, the apex about as thick as the siliqua.

Fruit:-
1) Siliqua, (35-)50-100 x 1-1·5 mm.
2) Seeds, 0·7-1·2 mm.

Key features:-
1) Uppermost leaves, entire or hastate, with the terminal lobe oblong or lanceolate.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Roadsides, wasteground, field margins, occasionally in semi-natural
habitats. 0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece and widespread and common throughout the
Mediterranean. a somewhat limited distribution on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-Aug, sometimes later.

Photos by:- Dr. Armin Jagel