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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE MUSTARD FAMILY | ||
| The mustard family can easily be identified by the fruit types. In this family the fruit types are the silicle and the silique. Both fruit types split open along two lines and have a membranous partition in the center to which the seeds attach. The silicle is long and thin, while the silicle is short and wide. The mustard family can also be identified by the flowers. The flowers have four separate sepals and four clawed petals arranged in a cross shape. There are four long stamens and two short stamens. The mustard family is well known in Saskatchewan. Many people farm canola as a crop. Also, many vegetables we consume in North America come from this family including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts. | ||
| SAND ROCKCRESS | ||
| LATIN NAME: Arabis arenicola | ||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | ||
| Sand rockcress grows to 30 cm tall from a long, slender taproot. The stem is erect and has coarse stiff hairs near the base. The basal leaves are spoon-shaped, stalked, and have coarse stiff hairs. The leaves are normally green but can turn purple in age. The edges of the basal leaves are smooth to shallowly toothed, with up to three pairs of teeth. There are only a few small, stalkess stem leaves. The flowers are small with white or pinkish petals. The fruit type is a silique that is 1 – 3 cm long and 1 – 2 mm wide. The siliques are ascending to spreading and do not have hairs. The membranous partition in the fruit remains on the plant after seeds have been dispersed. | ||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | ||
| Sand rockcress grows in sand dunes. | ||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | ||
| This species is only found in the Lake Athabasca region of northern Saskatchewan. It occurs in the Tazin Lake Upland and Athabasca Plain ecoregions. | ||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | ||
| This species is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is limited to one small region of the province and grows in small groups. | ||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY SAND ROCKCRESS | ||
| * Are the edges of the basal leaves smooth to shallowly
toothed? * Are the flowers white or pinkish? * Are siliques ascending to spreading and up to 3 cm long? * Did you find it in the Lake Athabasca region of northern Saskatchewan? |
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| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found sand rockcress! | ||
