Page author: David Giblin
Alyssum desertorum
desert alyssum
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: East of the Cascades in Washington; widely distributed throughout central and western North America.

Habitat: Dry, open ground, often where disturbed.

Flowers: May-June

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Description:
General:

Grayish, appressed-stellate annual or biennial, the stem simple to freely-branched, 1-2.5 dm. tall.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of elongate, bractless racemes; sepals 4, 2 mm. long, early-deciduous, with stellate and soft hairs on the back; petals 4, pale yellowish to creamy white, very narrow, 2-3 mm. long; pedicels spreading, equaling the fruit; stamens 6, the 2 shorter ones flanked by linear glands 1 mm. long; style 1 mm. long.

Fruits:

Silicles glabrous, ovate-oval, strongly compressed, 3-4 mm. long, slightly notched at the tip, flattened around the margins but bulged in the center over the 2 seeds per cell.

Accepted Name:
Alyssum desertorum Stapf
Publication: Denkschr. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss., Wien. Math.-Naturwiss. Kl. 51: 302. 1886. 1886.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Alyssum desertorum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Alyssum desertorum checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Alyssum desertorum information.

E-Flora BC: Alyssum desertorum atlas page.

CalPhotos: Alyssum desertorum photos.

USDA Plants: Alyssum desertorum information.

35 photographs:
Group by