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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. | |||||||||
| LANCELEAF DRABA | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Draba breweri var. cana | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Lanceleaf draba grows 10 – 30 cm tall from a woody base and taproot. The greyish-green to purple stems can be ascending or erect and are covered in star-shaped, forked or simple hairs. The basal leaves are in a dense basal rosette and are narrowly spoon-shaped. There are usually five to eight stem leaves at least half way up the stem. The stem leaves are alternate and do not have stalks. The flowers are in unbranched, often leafy clusters. The stalks on the flowers and fruits are less than two times the length of the pod. The sepals are hairy. The petals are white and arranged in a cross-shape. The siliques are ascending and twisted at maturity. The seeds are in two rows and there are usually 20 to 48 seeds. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Lanceleaf draba grows on calcareous cliffs and outcrops. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species is found in northern Saskatchewan, between Lake Athabasca and Hasbala Lake, and occurs in the Tazin Lake Upland and Selwyn Lake Upland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Lanceleaf draba is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is rare and population sizes vary. This species is likely frequently overlooked, especially when not flowering. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY LANCELEAF DRABA | |||||||||
| * Are the flowers white? * Are there four petals in a cross shape? * Are the fruits twisted at maturity? * Did you find it in northern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found lanceleaf draba! | |||||||||
