Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses - Oval-leaf bladderpod

OVAL-LEAF BLADDERPOD

File Size: 153 KB

Physaria ovalifolia (Rydb. ) O'Kane & Al-Shehbaz

[=Lesquerella ovalifolia Rydb.]

Gove County, Kansas

Perennial

Height: 2-12 inches

Family: Brassicaceae - Mustard Family

Flowering Period: April, May, June

Stems:

Decumbent to ascending or erect, simple or branched.

Leaves:

Basal leaves: petiole present; blade orbiculate to elliptic or ovate, .2 to 2.6 inches long, .2 to .8 inch wide, margins entire or shallowly dentate. Cauline leaves: petiole present or absent; blade obovate to elliptic, .2 to 1.6 inch long, 1/12 to 1/4 inch wide, margins entire.

Inflorescences:

Racemes, terminal; fruiting pedicels spreading to ascending, straight, 1/4 to 4/5 inch.

Flowers:

Sepals 4, elliptic, 1/5 to 1/3 inch; petals 4, usually yellow, rarely white, orbicular to obovate, 1/4 to 1/5 inch; stamens 6, 4 long stamens exserted, 2 short stamens usually included; style 1; stigma 1.

Fruits:

Silicles globose to ellipsoid, terete or slightly compressed, 1/6 to 2/5 inch, glabrous; style 1/6 to 2/5 inch; seeds reddish brown, flattened, smooth.

Habitat:

Mixed-grass prairies

Distribution:

West 1/2 of Kansas

Origin:

Native

Comments:

Physaria ovalifolia is represented by two subspecies in Kansas. Subsp. ovalifolia is widespread and has yellow petals; subsp. alba (Goodman) O'Kane & Al-Shehbaz is known only from Osborne County and has white petals.

See also bladderpod

Oval-leaf bladderpod