Brassica nigra

(Linnaeus) W. D. J. Koch in J. C. Röhling

in J. C. Röhling, Deutschl. Fl. ed. 3, 4: 713. 1833.

Common names: Black mustard
WeedyIntroduced
Basionym: Sinapis nigra Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 668. 1753
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 422. Mentioned on page 420, 423, 437, 442.

Annuals; sparsely to densely hirsute-hispid (at least basally, proximally rarely subglabrate). Stems usually branched distally, (widely spreading), 3–20 dm. Basal leaves: petiole to 10 cm; blade lyrate-pinnatifid to sinuate-lobed, 6–30 cm × 10–100 mm, lobes 1–3 each side, (smaller than terminal, terminal lobe ovate, obtuse). Cauline leaves sessile or subsessile; blade (ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, similar to basal, reduced distally and less divided), base tapered, not auriculate or amplexicaul, (margins entire to sinuate-serrate). Racemes not paniculately branched. Fruiting pedicels erect (straight), (2–) 3–5 (–6) mm. Flowers: sepals 4–6 (–7) × 1–1.5 mm; petals yellow, ovate, 7–11 (–13) × (2.5–) 3–4.5 (–5.5) mm, claw 3–6 mm, apex rounded; filaments 3.5–5 mm; anthers 1–1.5 mm. Fruits erect-ascending (± appressed to rachis), smooth, ± 4-angled, 1–2.5 (–2.7) cm × (1.5–) 2–3 (–4) mm; valvular segment 2–5 (–8) -seeded per locule, (0.4–) 0.8–2 (–2.5) cm, terminal segment seedless (linear, narrow), (1–) 2–5 (–6) mm. Seeds brown to black, 1.2–1.5 (–2) mm diam.; seed-coat coarsely reticulate, minutely alveolate, not mucilaginous when wetted. 2n = 16.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Sep.
Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed areas, waste places, fields, orchards
Elevation: 0-1500 m

Distribution

V7 623-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Alta., B.C., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Europe, Asia, Africa, also in Mexico, Central America, South America, Atlantic Islands, Australia

Discussion

Brassica nigra is widely cultivated as a condiment mustard. It is also a cosmopolitan weed especially common in the valleys of California (R. C. Rollins 1993). It occurs only sporadically in southern Canada but most frequently in Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River. Specimens from Alberta, Arkansas, Delaware, and South Carolina have not been observed.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"elongated" is not a number."thick" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Brassica nigra"
ovate +  and oblong +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
rounded +
Suzanne I. Warwick +
(Linnaeus) W. D. J. Koch in J. C. Röhling +
not +  and rosulate +
amplexicaul +, not auriculate +  and tapered +
Sinapis nigra +
appendaged +  and unappendaged +
not +  and auriculate +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
lyrate-pinnatifid +, dentate +  and entire +
dissected +, repand +, sinuate +, crenate +  and dentate +
lyrate-pinnatifid;sinuate-lobed +
much smaller +  and reduced +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
urceolate +, campanulate +  and tubular +
branched +  and simple +
subsessile +  and sessile +
well-developed +
distinct +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
differentiated +
Black mustard +
emarginate +  and entire +
incumbent +, accumbent +  and conduplicate +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Ala. +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, La. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, Europe +, Asia +, Africa +, also in Mexico +, Central America +, South America +, Atlantic Islands +  and Australia +
0-1500 m +
straight +  and curved +
not winged +  and unappendaged +
connate +  and distinct +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
actinomorphic +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (2.7 cm27 mm <br />0.027 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
indehiscent +  and dehiscent +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
erect-ascending +
4-angled +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
stipitate +  and sessile +
Roadsides, disturbed areas, waste places, fields, orchards +
sessile +  and petiolate +
alternate +, not +  and rosulate +
cauline +  and basal +
connate +  and distinct +
decurrent +
sinuate-serrate;lobed;sinuate-serrate;lobed;dentate +
not +  and confluent +
tenuinucellate +, crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +  and anatropous +
1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br />) +
7mm;11mm +
rudimentary +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–Sep. +
trinucleate +  and 3(-11)-colpate +
in J. C. Röhling, Deutschl. Fl. ed. +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
slender +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
mucilaginous +
aseriate +, uniseriate +  and biseriate +
not +  and mucilaginous +
brown +  and black +
1.2mm;1.5mm +
globose +
4-angled +, terete +  and torulose +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
persistent +  and caducous +
distinct +
spreading +, ascending +  and erect +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
reduced +
indehiscent +  and dehiscent +
terete +  and segmented +
indehiscent +  and dehiscent +
terete +  and segmented +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
tetradynamous +
procumbent +  and decumbent +
2-lobed +  and entire +
subsessile +, sessile +  and petiolate +
persistent +
distinct +
Cruciferae +
Brassica nigra +
Brassica +
species +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
scale-like +  and forked +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
anastomosing +
rhizomatous +, taprooted +, scapose +  and not +
perennial +, biennial +  and annual +
subshrub +  and herb +
aquatics +  and terrestrial +
glabrous +  and pubescent +
11 +, 10 +, 9 +, 8 +  and 7 +