Page authors: Ben Legler, David Giblin
Capsella bursa-pastoris
shepherd's-purse
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.

Habitat: Weed of disturbed ground.

Flowers: March-July

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Annual, the stems simple or branched, 1-5 dm. tall, with stellate and simple, stiff hairs.

Leaves:

Basal leaves in a rosette, oblanceolate, 3-6 cm. long, sub-entire to lyrate-pinnatifid, petiolate; cauline leaves alternate, sessile and clasping, lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, remotely serrate.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of many-flowered, open racemes; pedicles slender, spreading, 7-15 mm. long; sepals 4, 2 mm. long; petals 4, white, spatulate-obovate, 1.5-4 mm. long; stamens 6; style short, slender, persistent.

Fruits:

Silicles triangular-obcordate, strongly flattened, 4-8 mm. long and 3-5 mm. broad at the tip, truncate to slightly notched.

Accepted Name:
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.
Publication: Pfl.-Gatt. 85. 1792.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Capsella rubella Reut.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Capsella bursa-pastoris in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Capsella bursa-pastoris checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Capsella bursa-pastoris information.

E-Flora BC: Capsella bursa-pastoris atlas page.

CalPhotos: Capsella bursa-pastoris photos.

USDA Plants: Capsella bursa-pastoris information.

28 photographs:
Group by