Matthiola W.T.Aiton

Cruciferae, Bengt Jonsell (University of Stockholm). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1982

Morphology General Habit

Annual herbs to subshrubs, ± branched, with often dense greyish or whitish tomentum of branched and sometimes also glandular hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves undivided to pinnatifid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes ebracteate, with rather few showy flowers, elongate in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals erect, the inner saccate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals purplish, violet or sordid white, distinctly clawed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6, distinctly tetradynamous; filaments free, the median dilated, the lateral linear; anthers acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Nectaries as prominent horseshoe-shaped glands outside each lateral stamen-base, often continuing outside the base of the median stamens (sometimes forming a ring)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary linear; stigma practically sessile, conoidal with decurrent narrow lobes, bifid; ovules numerous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a siliqua, linear, terete or dorso-ventrally compressed, sometimes torulose, without transverse septa; style often 2-horned

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds uniseriate, suborbicular, compressed, often winged.