2. L. grácilis, Watson. Annual, slender; pubescence very fine; leaves narrowly oblanceolate; pods glabrous, suberect on ascending or curved pedicels, stipitate; style long. (Vesicaria gracilis, Hook.)—S. Kan. to Tex.
3. L. Ludoviciàna, Watson. Biennial or perennial; pubescence compact; leaves linear-oblanceolate, mostly entire; pods pubescent, pendulous on recurved pedicels; style long. (Vesicaria Ludoviciana, DC.)—Minn. to Neb. and southwestward.
9. CAMÉLINA, Crantz. False Flax.
Pod obovoid or pear-shaped, pointed, flattish parallel to the broad partition; valves 1-nerved. Seeds numerous, oblong. Cotyledons incumbent. Style slender. Flowers small, yellow. (Name from χαμαί, dwarf, and λίνον, flax.)
C. satìva, Crantz. Annual; leaves lanceolate and arrow-shaped; pods margined, large. A weed in flax-fields, etc. (Adv. from Eu.)
10. SUBULÀRIA, L. Awlwort.
Pod ovoid or globular, with a broad partition; the turgid valves 1-nerved. Seeds several. Cotyledons long and narrow, incumbently folded transversely, i.e., the cleft extending to the radicular side of the curvature. Style none.—A dwarf stemless perennial, aquatic; the tufted leaves awl-shaped (whence the name). Scape naked, few-flowered, 1–3´ high. Flowers minute, white.
1. S. aquática, L. Margin of lakes in Maine; Echo Lake, Franconia, N. H.; also in alpine regions of the western mountains. June, July. (Eu.)
11. NASTÚRTIUM, R. Br. Water-Cress.
Pod a short silique or a silicle, varying from oblong-linear to globular, terete or nearly so; valves strongly convex, nerveless. Seeds usually numerous, small, turgid, marginless, in 2 irregular rows in each cell (except in N. sylvestre). Cotyledons accumbent.—Aquatic or marsh plants, with yellow or white flowers, and commonly pinnate or pinnatifid leaves, usually glabrous. (Name from Nasus tortus, a convulsed nose, alluding to the effect of its pungent qualities.)
§ 1. Petals white, twice the length of the calyx; pods linear; leaves pinnate.
N. officinàle, R. Br. (True Water-Cress.) Perennial; stems spreading and rooting; leaflets 3–11, roundish or oblong, nearly entire; pods (6–8´´ long) ascending on slender widely spreading pedicels.—Brooks and ditches; escaped from cultivation. (Nat. from Eu.)
§ 2. Petals yellow or yellowish, seldom much exceeding the calyx; pods linear, oblong, or even ovoid or globular; leaves mostly pinnatifid.
[*] Perennial from creeping or subterranean shoots; flowers rather large, yellow.
N. sylvéstre, R. Br. (Yellow Cress.) Stems ascending; leaves pinnately parted, the divisions toothed or cut, lanceolate or linear; pods (½´ long) on slender pedicels, linear and narrow, bringing the seeds into one row; style very short.—Wet meadows, Mass. to Va.; rare. (Nat. from Eu.)
1. N. sinuàtum, Nutt. Stems low, diffuse; leaves pinnately cleft, the short lobes nearly entire, linear-oblong; pods linear-oblong (4–6´´ long), on slender pedicels; style slender.—Banks of the Mississippi and westward. June.
[*][*] Annual or biennial, rarely perennial (?), with simple fibrous roots; flowers small or minute, greenish or yellowish; leaves somewhat lyrate.
2. N. sessiliflòrum, Nutt. Stems erect, rather simple; leaves obtusely incised or toothed, obovate or oblong; flowers minute, nearly sessile; pods elongated-oblong (5–6´´ long), thick; style very short.—W. Ill. to E. Kan., Tenn., and southward. April–June.
3. N. obtùsum, Nutt. Stems much branched, diffusely spreading; leaves pinnately parted or divided, the divisions roundish and obtusely toothed or repand; flowers minute, short-pedicelled; pods longer than the pedicels, varying from linear-oblong to short-oval; style short.—With n. 1 and 2.
4. N. palústre, DC. (Marsh Cress.) Stem erect; leaves pinnately cleft or parted, or the upper laciniate; the lobes oblong, cut-toothed; pedicels about as long as the small flowers and mostly longer than the oblong, ellipsoid, or ovoid pods; style short.—Wet places or in shallow water; common. June–Sept.—Flowers only 1–1½´´ long. Stems 1–3° high.—The typical form with oblong pods is rare. Short pods and hirsute stems and leaves are common. Var. híspidum is a form with ovoid or globular pods. (Eu.)
§ 3. Petals white, much longer than the calyx; pods ovoid or globular; leaves undivided, or the lower ones pinnatifid; root perennial.
5. N. lacústre, Gray. (Lake Cress.) Aquatic; immersed leaves 1–3-pinnately dissected into numerous capillary divisions; emersed leaves oblong, entire, serrate, or pinnatifid; pedicels widely spreading; pods ovoid, 1-celled, a little longer than the style.—Lakes and rivers, N. E. New York to N. J., Minn., and southwestward. July–Aug.—Near N. amphibium.
N. Armoràcia, Fries. (Horseradish.) Root-leaves very large, oblong, crenate, rarely pinnatifid, those of the stem lanceolate; fruiting pedicels ascending; pods globular (seldom formed); style very short. (Cochlearia Armoracia, L.)—Roots large and long; a well-known condiment. Escaped from cultivation into moist ground. (Adv. from Eu.)
12. BARBARÈA, R. Br. Winter Cress.
Pod linear, terete or somewhat 4-sided, the valves being keeled by a mid-nerve. Seeds in a single row in each cell, marginless. Cotyledons accumbent.—Mostly biennials, resembling Nasturtium; flowers yellow. (Anciently called the Herb of St. Barbara.)
1. B. vulgàris, R. Br. (Common Winter Cress. Yellow Rocket.) Smooth; lower leaves lyrate, the terminal division round and usually large, the lateral 1–4 pairs or rarely wanting; upper leaves obovate, cut-toothed, or pinnatifid at the base; pods erect or slightly spreading; or in var. stricta, appressed; in var. arcuàta, ascending on spreading pedicels.—Low grounds and roadsides; apparently introduced, but indigenous from L. Superior northward and westward. (Eu.)
B. præ̀cox, R. Br. (Early Winter C.), with 5–8 pairs of lateral lobes to the leaves, and longer pods on very thick pedicels,—yet probably only a variety of the other,—somewhat cultivated from N. Y. southward as a winter salad, under the name of Scurvy-Grass,—is beginning to run wild. (Eu.)
13. HÉSPERIS, Tourn. Rocket.
Pod linear, nearly cylindrical; stigma lobed, erect. Seeds in 1 row in each cell, oblong, marginless. Cotyledons incumbent.—Biennial or perennial, with serrate sessile or petiolate leaves, and large purple flowers. (Name from ἑσπέρα, evening, from the evening fragrance of the flowers.)
H. matronàlis, L. (Dame's Violet.) Tall; leaves lanceolate, acuminate, mostly petiolate; pods 2–4´ long, spreading.—Sparingly naturalized. (Nat. from Eu.)
14. ERÝSIMUM, Tourn. Treacle Mustard.
Pod linear, 4-sided, the valves keeled with a strong midrib; stigma broadly lobed. Seeds in 1 row in each cell, oblong, marginless. Cotyledons (often obliquely) incumbent.—Chiefly biennials, with yellow flowers; the leaves not clasping. Pubescence of appressed 2–3-parted hairs. (Name from ἐρύω, to draw blisters.)
1. E. ásperum, DC. (Western Wall-flower.) Minutely roughish-hoary; stem simple, leaves lanceolate to linear, entire or somewhat toothed; pods nearly erect or widely spreading on short pedicels, elongated (3–4´ long), exactly 4-sided; stigma 2-lobed.—Ohio (on limestone cliffs) to Ill., Ark., Dak., and common westward. June, July.—Plant stout, 1–2° high; the crowded bright orange-yellow flowers as large as those of the Wall-flower. Petals orbicular, on very slender claws.
2. E. cheiranthoìdes, L. (Worm-seed Mustard.) Minutely roughish, branching, slender;