Physaria species [Brassicaceae]

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Scientific Name Physaria fendleri (Lesquerella fendleri) USDA PLANTS Symbol LEFE
Common Name Fendler's Bladderpod ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 823239
Family Brassicaceae (Mustard) SEINet
Reference
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Description Habitat: Dry sandy, rocky, calcareous soils; prairies, slopes and mesas.
Plant: Short sprawling perennial with several stems up to 16 inches long, sometimes branched; stems and leaves with many small hairs giving a silvery appearance.
Leaves: Basal leaves (if present) up to 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide, linear to elliptic, petiolate, margins entire or coarsely dentate; stem leaves alternate, up to 1 inch long, short-petiolate, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, margins entire or coarsely dentate.
Inflorescence: Terminal raceme with bright yellow flowers up to 1 inch across with 4 spreading petals and 4 oblong to elliptic sepals.
Bloom Period: February to August.
Fruit: Smooth round capsules about 0.2 to 0.3 inches long with a slightly pointed tip; often becoming reddish with age.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyata Ajilvsgi and SEINet.
BONAP Distribution Map

Texas Status:
Native
Scientific Name Physaria gordonii (Lesquerella gordonii) USDA PLANTS Symbol LEGO
Common Name Gordon's Bladderpod ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 823240
Family Brassicaceae (Mustard) SEINet
Reference
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Description Habitat: Sandy or light soils in rocky plains, caprock ledges, gravelly brushland, sandy desert washes, stream bottoms, pastures, roadsides.
Plant: Upright annual with several erect to decumbent, branched or unbranched stems; 18 inches tall; dense, short hairs covering stems and leaves.
Leaves: Basal leaves elliptic to obovate 3/4 to 2 inches long, petiolate and margins lyrate-pinnatifid, or entire or dentate; stem leaves linear to oblanceolate 3/8 to 2-3/4 inches long, lower ones sometimes short-petiolate, upper sessile, margins of lower leaves repand or shallowly dentate, upper leaves entire.
Inflorescence: Dense terminal racemes of numerous yellow to orange flowers each about 1/2-inch across; 4 cuneate to obovate petals and 4 elliptic or oblong sepals.
Bloom Period: March to June.
Fruit: Globular to ellipsoid capsules up to 1/3-inch across on straight, S-shaped or recurved pedicels 3/8 to 1-3/16 inches long.
References: SEINet, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Michael Eason and "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston.
BONAP Distribution Map

Texas Status:
Native
Scientific Name Physaria purpurea USDA PLANTS Symbol
LEPU2
Common Name White Bladderpod, Rose Bladderpod ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.
823223
Family Brassicaceae (Mustard) SEINet
Reference
SEINet Reference
Description Habitat: Canyons, rocky hillsides, ledges, crevices, streambeds, shady areas in deserts.
Plant: Upright perennial up to about 2 feet tall; short, rough hairs on stems and leaves.
Leaves: Basal rosette of blue-green leaves, blades elliptic or obovate to oblong, 1-1/2 to 5-1/2 inches long, wavy, toothed or smooth edges; stem leaves broadly elliptic to obovate or rhombic, 1/4 to 1-1/4 inches long, hairy, smooth edges.
Inflorescence: Clusters of a few blossoms at branch tips in racemes; blossoms about 1/2-inch across with 4 petals, white but becoming purple; with 4 green, elliptic, hairy sepals.
Bloom Period: January to May.
References: SEINet and www.americansouthwest.net.
BONAP Distribution Map

Texas Status:
Native

© Tom Lebsack 2022