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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. |
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| AWLWORT | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Subularia aquatica var. americana | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Awlwort is an aquatic plant that grows 2 to 4 cm tall from fibrous roots. This plant is usually found in water 10 to 20 cm deep. The leaves are all basal and narrowly linear with smooth edges. There are two to eight white flowers in each inflorescence and the flower stalks are strongly upward pointing. The silicle is about 2.5 mm long and is nearly spherical in shape. Each silicle contains many seeds. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Awlwort grows on lake bottoms in shallow water. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species is found in northern Saskatchewan in the Churchill River Upland, Athabasca Plain, Tazin Lake Upland, and Selwyn Lake Upland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Awlwort is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in the province. This species is likely commonly overlooked because of its size and resemblance to other aquatic plants, such as quillwort. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY AWLWORT | |||||||||
| * Is the entire plant underwater? * Are there four petals in a cross shape? * Are the pods almost spherical in shape? * Did you find it in northern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found awlwort! | |||||||||
