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White Wildflower Gallery

Mustard Family

        

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Mustard plants typically have four petals, four sepals, and six stamens. Petals can be yellow, white, pink, or purple. The family is divided into two groups: those with fruit pods that are more than three times as long as broad (called a silique), and those that are less than three times as long as broad (called a silicula). Pods can come in many shapes and sizes but all have two halves with a partition in the center. Leaves come in a variety of shapes but are typically clasping and become simpler and smaller up the stem.

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I do not have a picture of the fruit so identification may be wrong.

Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family
Whitlow-grass (Wedge-leaf Draba) Draba cuneifolia
This tiny spring plant grows to only 6-8" tall. The flowers are 3/16" wide. Leaves have several small teeth on the sides.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, March 2005
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Runnels, Coke, Nolan)

Similar Species

Shortpod Draba Draba brachycarpa
Small white flowers are in a terminal cluster. Leaves are spade shaped with a tiny tooth on each side. Fruiting style is like peppergrass but flat pods are oval.
(Native of Texas - Brown)

Broadpod Draba Draba platycarpa
Similar to Draba brachycarpa but pods are thicker. Leaves have prominent small teeth on the sides.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown)

Carolina Draba Draba reptans
Very tiny plant. White terminal flower cluster. Long pods are flat. Leaves are wide and hairy, smaller than pods.
(Native of Texas - Brown, Coke)

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Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family
Shepherdspurse Capsella bursa-pastoris
This is a tiny, delicate weed found in most untended yards. The 1/16" wide flowers grow from red buds at the top of the long stalk. Before the petals fall off the heart shaped seed pod forms at the center. The stem attached to the flower lengthens leaving the pods to look like leaves down the sides. The basal rossette leaves are look like dandelion leaves.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, March 2005
(Introduced, native of Asia Minor, intrusive - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

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Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family
Virginia Pepperweed (Western Peppergrass) Lepidium virginicum
White flower is about 1/8" wide. Flowers bloom on the stem from the bottom up. Fruit are flat round seed-pods notched at the top which split down the middle. Leaves vary. A rosette grows first of strongly lobed leaves with short leaflets, 1 1/2" long and 1/2" wide. These die as flowering stalks are produced with lanceolate or linear leaves. Leaves are edible, fresh or boiled. Seeds are a substitute for black pepper. Grows to 20" tall.
Photos taken in Coleman County, Texas, May 2004
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Coleman, Brown)

Similar Species

Southern Pepperweed Lepidium austrinum
Small white flowers at top. Stem very fuzzy. Leaves are toothed and are become smaller up the stem. Grows to 2 feet tall.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Jones, Shackelford, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

Veiny Pepperweed Lepidium oblongum
Tiny flowers without petals. Flat fruit is notched at the top and splits down the middle. Tiny leaves, linear to round. Stems hairy, simi-reclined, usually less than 1 foot long.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Jones, Brown, Coke)

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Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family
Field Pepperweed Lepidium campestre
Small white flowers at top loose cluster. Flat fruit is notched at the top and splits down the middle, outer edge is a flat wing. Hairy long trunk stem with multiple branching of flower stems. Multiple trunks can grow from base with spade shaped leaves. Trunk leaves are alternate and tightly clasp trunk, spear shaped. Grows to 2 feet tall.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Introduced, native of Europe - not listed near Taylor)

Similar Species

Common Pepperweed (Prairie Peppergrass) Lepidium densiflorum
Tiny flowers without petals. Lots of branches of flower stems. Flat fruit is notched at the top and splits down the middle. Spade to linear shaped leaves with a few teeth, longer at base. Grows to about 1 foot tall.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Brown, Fisher)

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Other Species in My Area

Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family
Hare's Ear Mustard Conringia orientalis
White flowers. Short plant, single stalk. Large ovoid clasping leaves, horizontal to stem. Long thin pods held vertically.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2004, April 2005, May 2008
(Introduced, native of Mediterranean - Taylor)

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Also see: yellow flowered mustards     purple flowered mustards Fine-leaf Bluets

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