IBERIS

Iberis Dill. ex L., Sp. Pl. 649. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 292. 1754; Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 1(1): 92.1862; Schulz in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ed. 2,17 b: 451. 1936; Al-Shehbaz, Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org 7: 563; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org

Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous or hairy with simple rarely glandular hairs. Stem erect or decumbent, often branched from below. Leaves cauline, sometimes basal, simple, entire or dentate to pinnatifid. Racemes corymbose, often showy. Flowers white, rose or lilac, often zygomorphic with unequal petals, pedicelled. Sepals 4, suberect, not saccate. Petals 4, unequal, outer 2 usually larger than the inner two, obovate, claw distinct. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, filaments not dilated basally; anthers ovate or oblong, apex obtuse. Nectar glands 4, one on each side of lateral stamen, +/- triangular, small; middle absent. Ovary ovate, bilocular, 2-ovuled; style about as long as the ovary; stigma capitate, entire or two lobed. Siliculae +/- ovate, bilocular, laterally compressed, dehiscent, rounded below, deeply emarginate above, 2-seeded; septum narrow, membranous. Seeds ovate, often margined (slightly winged).

28 species

Iberis amara

Iberis amara L., Sp. Pl. 649. 1753; Schulz, O.E., Notizblat. 9: 85. 1927; Al-Shehbaz, FNA @ eFloras.org 7: 564; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org

Annual, erect, 10-40 cm tall, branched, +/- hairy below and glabrous above. Leaves simple, petiolate or distal sessile; blade spathulate or oblanceolate or oblong, 2-6.5 cm x 0.5-1.5 cm, margins pinnatifid or dentate, distal most entire or dentate. Inflorescence corymbose, flattened, elongating into racemose in fruit. Flowers ca. 1 cm across, white or pale violet; pedicels filiform, spreading, ascending or descending, usually 4-10 mm long. Sepals 4, oblong, 1.5-3 mm long. Petals 4, white or pale violet, prominently unequal; outer 2 (abaxial pair) distinctly larger (5-8 mm x 2-5 mm) than the inner two (adaxial pair) (2-5 mm x 1.5-3 mm), limb obovate-oblong; claw distinct. Stamens 6, tetradynamous, filaments 2-2.5 mm long, not dilated at base, anthers ca. 1 mm long, ovate or oblong, apex obtuse. Nectar glands 4, one on each side of lateral stamen; middle absent. Ovary ovate, ca. 2 mm long, bilocular, flat, 2-ovuled; style ca. 1 mm long, thick, present in apical notch; stigma capitate. Siliculae suborbicular to broadly ovate, 4-7 mm x 3-6 mm, laterally compressed, apically notched; dehiscent, valves extending into acute to obtuse wing; valves reticulately veined. Seeds narrowly winged, 2-3 mm, reddish brown.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to April
Common Names: Candy Tuft, Annual Candy Tuft, Rocket Candytuft