#spreading bladderpod

[stopandlook]

Scientific Name: Physaria gracilis, syn. Lesquerella gracilis Common Name(s): Spreading bladderpod, cloth-of-gold Family: Brassicaceae (mustard) Life Cycle: Annual Leaf Retention: N/A Habit: Forb USDA L48 Native Status: Native Location: Plano, Texas Season(s): Spring

I’m pretty sure that’s what it is, anyway. Flowers get our attention, but using them to identify plants in the mustard family is often inconclusive because so many of them look so much alike. This means we have to stop slacking and start working. Looking at features on the fruits will narrow things down quite a bit, followed by observing the leaves and stems, and, finally, checking a species candidate’s distribution range should allow you to reach a positive ID.

Okay, back to the flower. Its four petals arranged in the form of a cross is a common feature of the mustard family, and the old name for Brassicaceae, Cruciferae, comes from this shape. I don’t know why or when the name changed, although, as a guess, it may have something to do with aligning the family name to the genus Brassica, which contains most of the cruciferous vegetables and is therefore agriculturally and economically important.