Manual of the New Zealand Flora.
Order III. Cruciferæ
Order III. Cruciferæ.
Herbs, very rarely undershrubs, with pungent watery juice-Leaves alternate, entire lobed or pinnately divided, the lower ones often forming a rosette at the base of the stem; stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, in terminal racemes, which are often short and corymb-like when the flowering commences, but lengthen out as it advances, usually without bracts. Sepals 4, free, deciduous. Petals 4, free, hypogynous, placed cross-wise. Stamens 6, 2 of them shorter than the other 4; sometimes reduced to 4 or even 2 ( Lepidium). Ovary usually 2-celled; style short or wanting; stigma entire or 2-lobed. Ovules few or numerous. Fruit a pod, long or short, usually divided into 2 cells by a thin partition called the replum, from which the 2 valves fall away at maturity; more rarely the pod is indehiscent or transversely jointed. Seeds without albumen, entirely filled by the large embryo, which is variously bent or folded, the radicle either lying along the edges of the cotyledons (accumbent) or placed along the back of one of them (incumbent).
The Crucifers form a large and extremely natural family, comprising about 180 genera and between 1500 and 2000 species. The species are distributed over the whole world, but are most plentiful in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and especially so in southern Europe and Asia Minor. They are rare in the tropics, particularly where there are no mountain-ranges. Most of them possess antiscorbutic and stimulating properties, and many are staple articles of food. Not a few of the cultivated species (and others) have become naturalised in New Zealand, as will be seen from the list of introduced plants appended to this work. Of the New Zealand genera, Pachycladon and Notothlaspi are endemic; the remainder are widely spread outside the colony.
* Pods long and narrow.
Pods terete, linear-oblong, tumid. Seeds in two rows in each cell. Cotyledons accumbent 1. Nasturtium. Pods flat, linear, acute; valves opening elastically from the base. Seeds in one row. Cotyledons accumbent 2. Cardamine. Pods terete or obtusely 4–6-angled, 1–3-nerved. Seeds in one row. Cotyledons incumbent 3. Sisymbrium. ** Pods short and broad.
Alpine herb with stellate pubescence. Pods compressed, boat-shaped, not winged. Seeds 3–5 in each cell 4. Pachycladon. Pods compressed, oblong to obcordate, valves turgid, keeled. Seeds numerous 5. Capsella. Pods much compressed, ovate to orbicular, often winged. Seeds 1 in each cell 6. Lepidium. Alpine herbs with sweet-scented flowers. Pods large, much compressed, obovate, very broadly winged. Seeds numerous. 7. Notothlaspi.
1. Nasturtium, R. Br.
Glabrous or pubescent branched herbs. Leaves generally pinnate or pinnately lobed, sometimes entire. Flowers small, yellow or white. Sepals short, equal, spreading. Petals short, scarcely clawed. Stamens 2, 4, or 6. Stigma entire or 2-lobed. Pod almost terete, long or short; valves generally 1-nerved; septum thin, transparent. Seeds small, turgid, usually arranged in two rows; cotyledons accumbent.
A genus of between 20 and 30 species, some of them very widely dispersed, but most abundant in the temperate and warm regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
2. Cardamine, Linn.
Annual or perennial often flaccid herbs, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves entire or more frequently pinnately divided. Flowers white or purplish. Sepals equal at the base. Petals clawed. Stigma simple or 2-lobed. Pod long, narrow-linear, compressed; valves usually fiat, opening elastically; septum membranous, transparent. Seeds numerous, flattened, in one series; cotyledons accumbent.
A rather large genus of over 60 species, inhabiting the temperate and cool regions of both hemispheres. Of the seven species found in New Zealand one is a very widely diffused plant, another extends to Australia, the remaining five are endemic.
A. Rootstock slender, short.
Slender, usually flaccid. Leaves pinnate (reduced to a single pinnule in var. uniflora). Flowers small 1. C. hirsuta. Small, depressed. Leaves all radical, spathulate. Flowers small 2. C. depressa. Leaves all radical, pinnatifid at the base. Flowers large 3. C. bilobata. Tall, slender, branched and leafy. Flowers in elongated racemes. Seeds pitted 4. C. stylosa. B. Rootstock stout, fleshy, as thick as the finger, crowned with numerous rosulate radical leaves.
Flowering-stems 6–18 in. Leaves almost glabrous. Pods narrow, 1/15–1/12 in. broad 5. C. fastigiata. Flowering-stems 6–24 in. Leaves villous. Pods broad, ⅙–¼ in. 6. C. latesiliqua. Flowering-stems short, 2–4 in. Leaves covered with stellate pubescence. Pods narrow 7. C. Enysii.
3. Sisymbrium, Linn.
Annual or more rarely perennial erect herbs, either glabrous or more or less tomentose or hairy. Flowers small, white or yellow, usually in rather lax racemes. Sepals short or long, equal or the lateral saccate. Petals with long claws. Style short; stigma 2-lobed. Pod long, slender, terete or slightly compressed; valves convex; septum membranous. Seeds usually numerous, not margined, in a single row in each cell; cotyledons incumbent.
A genus of about 80 species, widely spread in Europe and from thence to eastern Asia, and with a few representatives in most temperate countries. The single New Zealand species is endemic.
1. | S. novæ-zealandiæ, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 11.—An erect slender sparingly branched herb 6–18 in. high, usually hoary with minute stellate pubescence, rarely almost glabrous. Leaves chiefly radical, very variable in size and shape, ½–2 in. long; petiole long or short; blade ¼–1 in., obovate to narrow-oblong, quite entire or sinuate-toothed or pinnatifid; lobes usually blunt. Cauline leaves few, smaller. Flowers small, white. Fruiting racemes rather lax; pedicels slender, ⅓–¾ in. long. Pods 1–2 in. long, 1/15–1/20 in. broad, narrow-linear, obtuse, spreading, glabrous; valves slightly convex, midrib distinct; style very short. Seeds numerous, small; cotyledons incumbent.— Kirk, Students' Fl. 30. South Island: Nelson—Wairau Gorge, Travers, Rough. Canterbury— Broken River, Coleridge Pass, Porter's Pass, Kirk! Enys! Mackenzie Plains and Lake Tekapo, T. F. C. Otago—Not uncommon in the eastern and central portions of the district, Petrie,! Altitudinal range from sea-level to 3000 ft. December–January. |
4. Pachycladon, Hook. f.
A short stout depressed alpine herb, clothed with stellate pubescence. Rootstock long, thick and fleshy. Leaves small, rosulate. Flowers small, white. Sepals equal. Petals with long claws. Stamens free, toothless. Pod laterally compressed, linear-oblong; valves boat-shaped, keeled, not winged; nerves obscure; septum imperfect. Seeds 3–5 in each cell, obovoid; funicles short. Cotyledons incumbent.
The genus consists of a single species, confined to the southern portion of the colony. Sir J. D. Hooker remarks that in technical characters it is intermediate between the tribes Sisymbrieæ. and Lepidineæ, but is probably referable to the latter.
3. Capsella, Medicus.
Annual or rarely perennial branched herbs, of small size and weak habit, glabrous or pilose. Radical leaves entire or pinnatifid. Flowers small, white, racemed. Sepals spreading, equal at the base. Petals short. Pods oblong, ovoid, or obcordate, laterally compressed; valves convex or boat-shaped; septum thin; style short. Seeds numerous, in 2 rows. Cotyledons incumbent.
A small genus, scattered over the temperate regions of both hemispheres.
1. | C. procumbens, Fries Novit. Fl. Suec. Mant. i. 14.—Slender, perfectly glabrous. Stems numerous from the root, 2–6 in. long, decumbent at the base, ascending at the tips. Leaves ¼–¾ in. long; lower ovate, oblong, or spathulate, entire or lobed or irregularly pinnatifid, petioled; upper smaller, more sessile, often entire. Flowers white, very small. Racemes elongating in fruit; pedicels filiform, spreading. Pod ovoid, ⅙–⅕ in. long; valves boat-shaped. Seeds 10–15 in each cell. Benth. Fl. Austral. i. 81. C. elliptica, C. A. Mey. in Ledeb. Fl. Alt. iii. 199; Kirk, Students' Fl. 33. South Island: Otago—On cliffs exposed to sea-spray: Oamaru; Wai-kouaiti; near Dunedin; Petrie! September–October. A widely distributed plant, found in Europe, western and central Asia, north-west and South America, and Australia. C. bursa-pastoris, Mænch, the common "Shepherd's Purse," is now established as a weed in most parts of the colony. It is an erect annual, with spreading pinnatifid radical leaves and triangular cuneate or obcordate pods, arranged in a long lax raceme. |
6. Lepidium, Linn.
Erect or spreading, glabrous or pubescent, annual or perennial herbs, sometimes almost shrubby. Leaves entire or divided. Flowers small, white, ebracteate. Sepals short, equal at the base. Petals short, equal, sometimes wanting. Stamens often reduced to 4 or 2. Pods variable, oblong, ovate, obcordate, or orbicular, much compressed laterally, notched at the summit or entire, winged or not; septum narrow, membranous. Seeds one in each cell, suspended from the top of the septum; cotyledons incumbent.
A large genus of nearly 100 species, found in most temperate or warm climates. The New Zealand species are highly variable, and several are very difficult of discrimination. All are endemic.
A. Leaves undivided; serrate, crenate, or quite entire; never pinnate or pinnatifid.
Stout, erect or diffuse, 12–24 in. high. Leaves sharply serrate. Pods entire, not winged 1. L. oleraceum. Slender, flexuous, suberect, 12–18 in. Leaves spathulate, serrate above. Pods winged and notched above 2. L. Banksii. Slender, decumbent, 9–12 in. Leaves long-petioled, crenate. Pods ovate, winged and notched above 3. L. obtusatum. Stems prostrate, filiform, 2–5 in. Leaves linear-spathulate, ⅓–1 in., entire. Pods ovate-orbicular, notched 4. L. Kirkii. B. Lower leaves pinnate or pinnatifid. * Flowers hermaphrodite. ** Flowers diæcious.
Procumbent, glabrous. Leaves pinnatifid, segments toothed at the tips. Racemes short, lateral. Pods ovate 5. L. flexicaule. Procumbent or suberect, hairy. Leaves pinnate, segments finely serrate on the upper edge. Racemes long, terminal. Pods minute, orbicular 6. L. tenuicaule.
Almost glabrous. Erect, leafy, 6–12 in. high, paniculately branched above. Pods ovate 7. L. Kawarau. Hoary and scabrid. Erect, strict, 2–5 in. high. Leaves almost all radical, coriaceous. Racemes short, dense. Pods ovate 8. L. Matau. Hairy. Suberect, 2–5 in. high. Root very long and stout. Leaves all radical. Racemes lax, open. Pods ovate-rhomboid. 9. L. sisymbrioides.
7. Notothlaspi, Hook. f.
Small fleshy simple or branched alpine herbs, glabrous or slightly hairy. Leaves all radical, or radical and cauline, spathulate, petiolate. Flowers rather large, white, densely crowded in a terminal raceme, or corymbose at the tips of the branches. Sepals; erect, equal at the base. Petals spathulate. Pods rather large, obovate or oblong, much compressed, valves very broadly winged. Seeds numerous in each cell, reniform, attached by slender long funicles. Cotyledons incumbent; radicle often very long.
The genus is confined to the mountains of the South Island of New Zealand.
Stem simple. Flowers densely crowded on a stout terminal peduncle or scape. Style very short 1. N. rosulatum. Stem usually much branched. Flowers corymbose at the ends of the branches. Style long 2. N. australe.