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Sinapis arvensis

Charlock mustard

Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Olivier Pichard

Short Description

Charlock mustard can grow up to 60 centimetres high.

The leaves are solitary and alternate on the stem. They are undivided, grass-green and irregularly toothed.

The stem is mostly hairless at the top and hairy at the base.

The flowers are clustered at the end of a long, racemose inflorescence. They are yellow and have four petals. In the centre of the flower there are four long and two short stamens.

The fruits are narrow, long pods. They stand below the flowers on the stem.

Features

Charlock mustard

Sinapis arvensis

  • four yellow petals

  • narrow green pods

Similar species

Hedge mustard

Sisymbrium officinale
The leaves of the hedge mustard are usually much more incised. The fruits are small, roundish and adhere to the stem.
Blütenstand (CC BY-SA 3.0) Hectonichus

In the city

In the city, charlock mustard is common on rubble sites. It prefers nutrient-rich soils and is often found in weed meadows.

Fun Facts

  • The flowering period is from June to October.

  • Charlock mustard belongs to the same plant family as mustard and cabbage. It contains glucosinolates, which are often found in the cruciferous family.

  • The four crosswise arranged petals, the pod fruits and the four longer and two shorter stamens are typical of the cruciferous plant family.

  • It is an annual plant, i.e. it only flowers for one summer and dies after the seeds have ripened.

  • It is an indicator for loamy soil.

  • It is a good bee pasture. The pollinators are beetles, bees, flies and butterflies.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Früchte (CC BY-SA 3.0) Olivier Pichard

Sources

Habitus, Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sinapis_arvensis_pont-aval-revigny-ornain_55_05062005_2.JPG

Blütenstand, Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brassicaceae_-_Sinapis_arvensis_(2).JPG

Früchte, Olivier Pichard, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sinapis_arvensis_bray-sur-somme_80_25062007_1.jpg

Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.

Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.

Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.

Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.

Page „Acker-Senf“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 19.07.2017, 15:35 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Acker-Senf&oldid=167403912 (Accessed: 14.08.2017).