e-Key v3 - *Sinapis
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Brassicaceae - Brassiceae - *Sinapis L.

Description :

  • Annual, rarely perennial, branched herbs, with simple hairs
  • Leaves simple, pinnatifid or pinnatisect
  • Inflorescences ebracteate racemes
  • Sepals spreading, not saccate
  • Petals shortly clawed, yellow
  • Stamens 6; filaments without appendages
  • Nectaries at base of long filaments, tongue-shaped, lateral ones reniform
  • Fruit a linear siliqua, 3-5-nerved, 0-9-seeded, sometimes flattened; valves convex; beak long
  • Seeds globose, in 1 row; cotyledons folded longitudinally around incumbent radicle
  • x = 6, 7 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Sinapis L.
    • Linnaeus: 668 (1753)
    • Linnaeus: 299 (1754)
    • Sonder: 32 (1860)
    • Schulz: 335 (1936)
    • Exell: 188 (1960)
    • Chater: 339 (1964)
    • Marais: 10 (1970)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 10, Mediterranean region but some now widespread in other parts of Europe
  • Southern Africa : Species 2: * Sinapis arvensis L., recorded in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and * S. alba L. in the Eastern Cape as weeds of cultivation

References:

  • CHATER, A.O. 1964. Cruciferae . Capsella , Sinapis , Raphanus . Flora europaea 1
  • EXELL, A.W. 1960. Cruciferae . Flora zambesiaca 1
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum , edn 5. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • MARAIS, W. 1970. Cruciferae . Flora of southern Africa 13
  • SCHULZ, O.E. 1936. Cruciferae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien II,17b
  • SONDER, O.W. 1860. Crucifereae . Flora capensis 1