Diplotaxis muralis (L.) DC.                           Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)   Europe   Sand-Rocket

                               February Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Annual, branched at base, glabrous to somewhat hispid; stems slender, 3-5 dm. high, leafy at base only; lvs. oblanceolate, sinuate-lobed, 3-10 cm. long, petioled; racemes elongate, lax in fr.; pedicels ascending, 1-2 cm. long; sepals 3-5 mm. long; petals yellow, 5-8 mm. long; siliques erect, flattish., 2-2.5 cm. long, 2 mm. wide, sessile; seeds brownish, smooth; ca. 1 mm. long.

Habitat:  Waste places, dry streambeds; south Coast, below 150 m.  Expected elsewhere.  Blooms through the year.

Name:  Greek, diplous, double, and taxis, row, because of the biseriate seeds.  Latin, muralis, growing on walls.  I do not see the relationship the species name has with this plant.

(Jaeger 159).  John Johnson suggests that in Europe, this plant may be frequent on old walls-thus the species name.

General:  Occasional on North Star Beach and at 23rd St., otherwise not found in the study area.  (my comment).      About 20 species of Medit. region and central Europe.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 287).

Text Ref:  Abrams Vol. II 275; Hickman, Ed. 416; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 287; Roberts 16.

Photo Ref:  Feb 85 # 10A,11A; Feb-Mar 86 # 10,11; May-June 86 # 23,24,24A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed from specimen in UCI herbarium.  

First Found:  February 1985.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 314.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 6/7/05.  

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