mustard!

This morning we had a task; identify some tall unusual plant. It was quite clearly a mustard, a member of the Brassicaceae family. The problem is, the family is huge. And the plant was lacking leaves on the stem. Luckily, the key to the family is about fruit.

We keyed it unsuccessfully. Checking herbarium samples (and emailing pictures to an excellent botanist to confirm), we found this plant to be entireleaf thelypody, Thelypodium integrifolium.

That was my day. Tomorrow is the workshop about controlling weedy and undesirable plants.

Oh yes: happy autumn northern hemisphere, and happy spring to those of you on the southern half of the globe!