Brassicaceae, the mustard family.
Description:
Plant:
Erect, occasionally branching, plant, 4"-16", with slightly hairy leaves and a terminal
cluster of small, white flowers at the top of a stem bearing small, triangular seed-pods on
slender stalks. Annual.
Flowers:
White, small, about 1/8", with four petals and four sepals, on a raceme.
The flowers are usually in a tight cluster at the end of the raceme, which elongates as
the fruit matures.
Leaves:
Basal and alternate, lanceolate; basal leaves lobed, 2"-4" long, stem leaves smaller, generally
with smooth margins, and clasping the stem. Often slightly hairy.
Fruit:
Triangular capsules 1/8"-1/4" with a notch containing a small beak,
on threadlike stalks, standing out from the raceme.
The common name refers to the shape of the fruit.
Blooming:
April-Fall
Habitat:
Fields, roadsides, waste areas.
Comments:
Blooms early, then seeds and new plants may bloom through late fall.
The foliage, like that of many members of the mustard family is edible, and can be
boiled as a potherb.
Where to find it:
Scattered in lawn areas near the road before they are mowed and some other open locations.