Alyssum desertorum Stapf

Desert madwort (en), Alysson des déserts (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Brassicales > Brassicaceae > Alyssum

Characteristics

Herbs annual, (2-)5-18(-28) cm tall, canescent throughout (except fruit) with appressed, sessile, 8-20-rayed stellate trichomes. Stems erect, ascending, or decumbent, often several from the base. Cauline leaves subsessile or lowermost attenuate to petiolelike base to 5 mm; leaf blade linear to oblanceolate-linear, (0.3-)0.5-2.5(-3) cm × (0.5-)1-3(-4) mm, gradually smaller upward, base attenuate, apex acute. Fruiting pedicels ascending or subdivaricate, (1-)1.5-3.5(-4.5) mm, stout, straight, covered with stellate trichomes only. Sepals oblong, 1.4-1.8(-2) × 0.4-0.5 mm, deciduous, stellate. Petals pale yellow, oblanceolate, 2-2.5 × 0.5-0.6 mm, sparsely stellate outside, caducous, base attenuate, apex obtuse or retuse. Filaments 1-1.8(-2) mm; median pairs gradually expanded from apex to narrowly winged base, not toothed; lateral pair with a broadly winged appendage apically notched into 2 teeth; anthers ovate, 0.1-0.2 mm. Ovules 2 per locule. Fruit orbicular, 2.5-4(-4.5) mm in diam., apex shallowly emarginate; valves not veined, uniformly inflated at middle, broadly flattened at margin, glabrous and often glaucous; style 0.3-0.7 mm, slender, glabrous. Seeds often 2 per locule, ovate, 1.2-1.5 × 0.9-1.1 mm, slightly compressed, margined or not. Fl. and fr. Apr-Jun. 2n = 32.
More
Annuals; canescent throughout except fruit, trichomes appressed, 8-20-rayed. Stems simple or few to several from base, erect, ascending, or decumbent, (0.2-)0.5-1.8(-2.8) dm. Cauline leaves subsessile or (proximal) attenuate to petiole-like base (to 0.5 cm); blade linear to oblanceolate-linear, (0.3-)0.5-2.5(-3) cm × (0.5-)1-3(-4) mm (gradually smaller distally), base attenuate, apex acute. Fruiting pedicels ascending or subdivaricate, straight, stout, (1-)1.5-3.5(-4.5) mm, trichomes uniformly stellate. Flowers: sepals oblong, 1.4-1.8(-2) × 0.4-0.5 mm, stellate-pubescent; petals pale yellow, oblanceolate, 2-2.5 × 0.5-0.6 mm, base attenuate, apex obtuse or retuse, sparsely stellate-pubescent abaxially; filaments: median pairs not toothed, gradually expanded from apex to narrowly winged base, lateral pair with broadly winged appendage apically notched into 2 teeth, 1-1.8(-2) mm; anthers ovate, 0.1-0.2 mm. Fruits orbicular, 2.5-4(-4.5) mm diam., apex shallowly emarginate, usually glabrous; valves uniformly inflated at middle, broadly flattened at margins, often glaucous, rarely sparsely pubescent (when young); ovules 2 per ovary; style 0.3-0.7 mm, glabrous. Seeds ovoid, slightly compressed, 1.2-1.5 × 0.9-1.1 mm, margined or not. 2n = 32.
A herb.
Life form annual
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.05 - 0.19
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 2-4
Soil texture 3-4
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 5-8

Usage

The fruit are eaten fresh.
Uses -
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 7 - 14
Germination temperacture (C°) 12 - 23
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -23
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Flower

Alyssum desertorum flower picture by Micheal Tuchband (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Alyssum desertorum world distribution map, present in China, India, Pakistan, United States of America, and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:277460-1
WFO ID wfo-0000529408
COL ID 87BSM
BDTFX ID 165090
INPN ID 1002426
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Alyssum desertorum Alyssum sartorii Alyssum minimum Alyssum desertorum var. himalayense Alyssum desertorum var. prostratum Alyssum turkestanicum var. desertorum Alyssum desertorum f. argenteum Alyssum desertorum var. desertorum Alyssum desertorum var. himalayensis Alyssum desertorum var. socolacicum