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| Matthiola
parviflora
Entire plant. Photographed at Saguaro National Park East, April 8, 2010. |
Matthiola parviflora
|
| Matthiola
parviflora
Entire plant. Photographed at Saguaro National Park East, April 8, 2010. |
Matthiola parviflora is an exotic
annual in the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae).
It is native to the western and southern
Mediterranean region and is listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species.
Apparently a recent arrival in the U.S.,
it was first documented by Jonathan Horst on Tumamoc Hill in the Tucson
Mountains in 2008.
Distribution data are currently being
collected to accurately document this plant's range in the U.S.
For more photos and information about
this project, please visit:
http://www.eebweb.arizona.edu/faculty/venable/matthiola.htm
NOTE: Several members of the genus
Matthiola (known as "Stock" in horticulture) are grown in gardens
for their large, colorful, heavily scented flowers.
These include M. incana, M. bicornis,
and M. longipetala. Matthiola parviflora is
NOT the same as these plants. It is smaller and has tiny flowers
with no scent.
| YOU CAN HELP!
Watch for this plant on your hikes, neighborhood walks, or in your yard.
IF YOU SEE IT: Do not remove or disturb the plants. Write down the location. GPS coordinates are useful but not essential. PHOTOS are very helpful and most welcome! REPORT YOUR SIGHTING! E-mail Jonathan Horst at jhorst@email.arizona.edu or e-mail Lorena B. Moore (webmaster for this page). |
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| LEAVES
are fuzzy, long and strap-like, with a prominent central vein and several
large teeth or lobes on the margin.
SEEDPODS are long and narrow, with two spreading "horns" at the tip. Two unripe double-horned pods can be seen at the bottom of this photo. |
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| FLOWERS
bloom in March and April.
They have FOUR petals, pale purple with a white and yellow throat. Flowers are small - about 1 cm. |
PHOTOS,
ART, TEXT, and WEBPAGE by Lorena B. Moore, 2010.
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