Barbarea vulgaris

Yellow Rocketcress

Pictures of Barbarea vulgaris (Yellow Rocketcress)

(Click on the pictures to see them in larger size)

Common name

Yellow Rocketcress.

Scientific name

Barbarea vulgaris W. T. Aiton

Conservation status and threats

NOT protected species in Bulgaria.

Description and identification

Barbarea vulgaris is a biennial or perennial herb with a glabrous stem, branched at the top and up to 1 m tall. Lower leaves lyrate, with 2–5 pairs of oblong lateral lobes and a large rounded or ovate apical lobe, heart-shaped at the base, dentate to serrate or nearly entire. The upper stem leaves are sessile, with broadly stem-enclosing auricles, obovate, coarsely toothed or wavy-cut. The flowers are combined in racemes at the tips of the branches of the stem, without bracts. Sepals and petals 4 each. Petals yellow, 5–7 mm long. Stamens 6. Ovary superior. Fruit is a silique, 15–30 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, with a pedicel 4–6 mm long, spreading, sometimes arched. Flowering April-July¹.

Habitat

In damp places, by streams, through damp woods and thickets, also as a weed².

Distribution in Bulgaria

In the whole country; up to 1200 meters altitude³.

Native general distribution

Native distribution includes Europe, North Africa, Asia. Introduced in South Africa, North America, Australia, New Zealand⁴.

References

1 Китанов, Б. 1987. Разпознаване и събиране на билки. Земиздат. София.

2 Китанов, Б. 1987. Пос. източник.

3 Асенов, Ив. 1970. В: Флора на Н. Р. България, том IV, издателство на БАН, София.

4 Асенов, Ив. 1970. Пос. източник.

Barbarea vulgaris на български