Brassicaceae (Cruciferae): the Mustard Family

• Habit: herbs, shrubs

• Leaves: alternate (opposite or whorled), simple to bipinnate, no stipules.

• Plants: synoecious

• Inflorescence: racemes (rarely solitary)

• Flowers: perfect, regular

• Sepals: 4, distinct

• Petals: 4, distinct

• Stamens: 6 (4 or 2, - 16), 4 with long filaments, 2 with short filaments (tetradynamous)

• Ovary: 2 connate carpels, 2 locules, 1-many parietal ovules, style 1

• Fruit: silicle or silique, sometimes indehiscent

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