球果荠 qiu guo ji

Myagrum paniculatum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 641. 1753; Vogelia paniculata (Linnaeus) Hornemann.

Herbs annual, (14-)25-75(-90) cm tall, pubescent with small branched trichomes rarely mixed with fewer simple ones near stem base. Stems simple or branched above. Cauline leaves lanceolate, narrowly oblong, or linear-lanceolate, middle ones (1.5-)2.5-7(-9) cm × (2-)3-15(-25) mm, sparsely pubescent with primarily forked trichomes, base sagittate or strongly auriculate, margin entire or rarely denticulate, apex acute or acuminate; the basal lobe oblong or deltoid, acute. Fruiting pedicels (4-)6-10(-14) mm. Sepals 1.5-1.7 × 0.5-0.7(-1) mm. Petals yellow, 2-2.5 × 0.5-0.7(-1) mm. Filaments 1.5-2 mm; anthers 0.2-0.4 mm. Fruit (1.7-)2-2.2 × (2-)2.2-2.5 mm, umbonate or not at apex; valves prominently to moderately reticulate; style 0.5-0.9 mm. Seeds brown, ovoid, 1.2-1.4 × 1-1.1 mm. Fl. May-Jun. 2n = 14.

Fields, grassy mountain slopes, plains; 1700-2200 m. Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Xinjiang [Afghanistan, India, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; N Africa, SW Asia, Europe; introduced in North America].

This species was recorded in FRPS from Xizang, but the present authors have seen no material from that autonomous region.

Neslia paniculata is represented in China by subsp. paniculata, which has a subtruncate fruit apex, whereas subsp. thracica (Velenovsky) Bornmüller (from C and SW Asia and S Europe) has a distinctly umbonate fruit apex.