Brassica juncea

 
Indian Mustard

Upper Half of Plant
5 miles southeast of Regina
05-July-03

Juncea:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.

plants glabrous or nearly so

plants glaucous

upper stem leaves cuneate at the base, not clasping

pedicels slender, elongate, spreading

siliques 2-5 cm long, loosely ascending

each valve with a prominent midvein, the other nerves weaker and scarcely parallel

beak of silique slender, terete or conical, not 2-edged

beak seedless

 

Brassica: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.

leaves dentate or divided, not entire

leaves NOT: oval to elliptical, entire, the cauline cordate-clasping

petals yellow

petals mostly 7-12 mm long

fruit pod-like (silique or silicle), dehiscent by 2 valves

pods circular in cross section; not flattened

pods NOT compressed at right angles to the central partition

pods usually more than 4 times as long as broad

pods opening by  valves, not constricted between seeds

pods with a long, elongated, stout beak

beak joint of capsule seedless

beak of pod and the body equal in cross section

seeds in 1 row in each locule

 

Cruciferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.

herbs

plants terrestrial or semi-aquatic

plants not with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

leaves without stipules, or having glands

some or all leaves alternate

calyx regular

4 sepals

corolla regular in shape

4 petals

stamens usually 6, 4 long and 2 short

ovary superior

1 or 2 carpels