Sisymbrium altissimum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 659. 1753.

Common names: Tumbleweed
WeedyIntroduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 668.

Annuals; glabrous or pubescent. Stems erect, branched distally, (2–) 4–12 (–16) dm, sparsely to densely hirsute basally, glabrous or glabrate distally. Basal leaves rosulate; petiole 1–10 (–15) cm; blade broadly oblanceolate, oblong, or lanceolate (in outline), (2–) 5–20 (–35) cm × (10–) 20–80 (–100) mm, margins pinnatisect, pinnatifid, or runcinate; lobes (3–) 4–6 (–8) on each side, oblong or lanceolate, smaller than terminal lobe, margins entire, dentate, or lobed. Cauline leaves similar to basal; distalmost blade with linear to filiform lobes. Fruiting pedicels usually divaricate, rarely ascending, stout, nearly as wide as fruit, (4–) 6–10 (–13) mm. Flowers: sepals ascending or spreading, oblong, (cucullate), 4–6 × 1–2 mm; petals spatulate, (5–) 6–8 (–10) × 2.5–4 mm, claw 3.5–6 mm; filaments 2–6 mm; anthers oblong, 1.5–2.2 mm. Fruits narrowly linear, usually straight, smooth, stout, (4.5–) 6–9 (–12) cm × 1–2 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 90–120 per ovary; style 0.5–2 mm; stigma prominently 2-lobed. Seeds 0.8–1 × 0.5–0.6 mm. 2n = 14.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Sep.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, pastures, waste grounds, disturbed sites, grasslands
Elevation: 0-2700 m

Distribution

V7 1143-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., D.C., Fla., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Europe, w Asia, nw Africa, also in South America (Argentina), also in South America (Chile)

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"elongated" is not a number."elongated" is not a number."thick" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Sisymbrium altissimum"
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 m <br />) +
Ihsan A. Al-Shehbaz +
Linnaeus +
appendaged +  and unappendaged +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (35 cm350 mm <br />0.35 m <br />) +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
not auriculate +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
lobed +, runcinate +, lyrate +, sinuate +  and dentate +
lanceolate;oblong;lanceolate;oblong;oblanceolate +
much smaller +  and reduced +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
urceolate +, campanulate +  and tubular +
branched +  and simple +
sessile +  and petiolate +
well-developed +
distinct +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
differentiated +
Tumbleweed +
emarginate +  and entire +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +, Europe +, w Asia +, nw Africa +, also in South America (Argentina) +  and also in South America (Chile) +
0-2700 m +
straight +  and curved +
not winged +  and unappendaged +
connate +  and distinct +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
actinomorphic +
stipitate +  and sessile +
9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
straight +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (9 cm90 mm <br />0.09 m <br />) +
torulose +, subulate +, lanceolate +  and linear +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Roadsides, fields, pastures, waste grounds, disturbed sites, grasslands +
sessile +  and petiolate +
alternate +, not +  and rosulate +
cauline +  and basal +
connate +  and distinct +
linear +  and filiform +
smaller +
lobed;dentate;lobed;dentate;runcinate;pinnatifid;runcinate;pinnatifid;pinnatisect +
conspicuous +  and prominent +
tenuinucellate +, crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +  and anatropous +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
rudimentary +
spatulate +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–Sep. +
trinucleate +  and 3(-11)-colpate +
erect +  and ascending +
stout +  and slender +
mucilaginous +
aseriate +, biseriate +  and uniseriate +
not +  and mucilaginous +
white +, black +, brown +  and yellow +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br />) +
persistent +  and caducous +
distinct +
spreading +  and ascending +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
reduced +
latiseptate +, schizocarpic +, samaroid +  and lomentaceous +
indehiscent +  and dehiscent +
angustiseptate +, flat +, angled +, terete +, torulose +, not +, segmented +  and nutletlike +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
tetradynamous +
procumbent +  and decumbent +
glabrate +, glabrous +  and hirsute +
subsessile +, sessile +  and petiolate +
persistent +
distinct +
subclavate +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Chamaeplium +, Norta +, Pachypodium +, Schoenocrambe +  and Velarum +
Sisymbrium altissimum +
Sisymbrium +
species +
scale-like +  and forked +
coiled +, 1-7-veined +  and veined +
anastomosing +
conspicuous +  and prominent +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
perennial +, biennial +  and annual +
aquatics +  and terrestrial +
glabrous +  and pubescent +