Nasturtium officinale
in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. 4: 110. 1812.
Plants glabrous throughout or sparsely pubescent. Stems 1–11(–20) dm. Cauline leaves: petiole not winged, base auriculate; blade 3–9(–13)-foliolate, (1–)2–15(–22) cm; lateral leaflets sessile or petiolulate, rachis not winged, blade smaller than terminal; terminal leaflet (or simple blade) suborbicular to ovate, or oblong to lanceolate, (0.4–)1–4(–5) cm × (3–)7–25(–40) mm, base obtuse, cuneate, or subcordate, margins entire or repand, apex obtuse. Fruiting pedicels divaricate or descending, straight or recurved, 5–17(–24) mm. Flowers: sepals 2–3.5 × 0.9–1.6 mm; petals white or pink, spatulate or obovate, 2.8–4.5(–6) × 1.5–2.5 mm, (base to 1 mm), apex rounded; filaments 2–3.5 mm; anthers 0.6–1 mm. Fruits (0.6–)1–1.8(–2.5) cm × (1.8–)2–2.5(–3) mm; ovules (28–)36–60 per ovary; style 0.5–1(–1.5) mm. Seeds biseriate, reddish brown, ovoid, (0.8–)0.9–1.1(–1.3) × (0.6–)0.7–0.9(–1) mm, coarsely reticulate with 25–50(–60) areolae on each side. 2n = 32.
Phenology: Flowering Feb–Sep.
Habitat: Flowing streams, ditches, lake margins, swamps, marshes, seeps
Elevation: 0-3000 m
Distribution
Introduced; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Europe, Asia, n Africa, introduced also elsewhere in the New World, tropical and s Africa, Australia.
Discussion
Selected References
None.