Can't find this flower in my books...

Height about 40" (100 cm). First 20" (50 cm) have leaves alternate. Then
there is a distinct bend in the stem. The top 20" (50 cm) have what appear
to be many seeds (?) arranged in a horse's tail appearance. Each seed is
about 2" (5 cm) long, very thin, slightly ribbed along the length, and
straight to slightly curved. Color green throughout.

A second specimen had a strange series of twists and turns instead of a
simple bend in the middle, as if it was trying to be a climber. Not
surprising, since both specimens had toppled under their own weight. This
second specimen also looks like it tried to develop 2 additional
"horsetail" branches, but they weren't anywhere near as vigorous as the
main one.

Date: June 10.
Location: San Juan Islands, Washington State, USA. (On an undeveloped
island, so probably native to the area.)

Photo available at
www.seanet.com/~pmar/jse_P6110841a.jpg

Please excuse my poor knowledge of botanical terms!

Your help greatly appreciated.

Pete

I think your upper "seeds" are actuallylong, thin fruits and that this
is a member of the Brassicaceae or Mustard family.

M. Reed

Pete wrote:

Can't find this flower in my books...

Height about 40" (100 cm). First 20" (50 cm) have leaves alternate. Then
there is a distinct bend in the stem. The top 20" (50 cm) have what appear
to be many seeds (?) arranged in a horse's tail appearance. Each seed is
about 2" (5 cm) long, very thin, slightly ribbed along the length, and
straight to slightly curved. Color green throughout.

A second specimen had a strange series of twists and turns instead of a
simple bend in the middle, as if it was trying to be a climber. Not
surprising, since both specimens had toppled under their own weight. This
second specimen also looks like it tried to develop 2 additional
"horsetail" branches, but they weren't anywhere near as vigorous as the
main one.

Date: June 10.
Location: San Juan Islands, Washington State, USA. (On an undeveloped
island, so probably native to the area.)

Photo available at
www.seanet.com/~pmar/jse_P6110841a.jpg

Please excuse my poor knowledge of botanical terms!

Your help greatly appreciated.

Pete

Looks like one of the Cruciferae (nom. alt Brassicaceae), which makes your
'seeds' fruits. Picture does not really give much detail.
PvR

Pete schreef
Can't find this flower in my books...

Height about 40" (100 cm). First 20" (50 cm) have leaves alternate. Then
there is a distinct bend in the stem. The top 20" (50 cm) have what appear
to be many seeds (?) arranged in a horse's tail appearance. Each seed is
about 2" (5 cm) long, very thin, slightly ribbed along the length, and
straight to slightly curved. Color green throughout.

A second specimen had a strange series of twists and turns instead of a
simple bend in the middle, as if it was trying to be a climber. Not
surprising, since both specimens had toppled under their own weight. This
second specimen also looks like it tried to develop 2 additional
"horsetail" branches, but they weren't anywhere near as vigorous as the
main one.

Date: June 10.
Location: San Juan Islands, Washington State, USA. (On an undeveloped
island, so probably native to the area.)

Photo available at
www.seanet.com/~pmar/jse_P6110841a.jpg

Please excuse my poor knowledge of botanical terms!

Your help greatly appreciated.

Pete

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:08:54 +0200, P van Rijckevorsel wrote:

Looks like one of the Cruciferae (nom. alt Brassicaceae), which makes your
'seeds' fruits. Picture does not really give much detail.
PvR

I increased the resolution of the photo to give more detail.

Pete

Thanks Monique & PvR for your tips... I'll focus my search in the mustard
family.

Pete

I agree with PvR and Monique that it's in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) and
will hazard a guess that it's in the genus Arabis, the rock cresses.
Scott

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 21:38:48 GMT, Scott Ranger wrote:

I agree with PvR and Monique that it's in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) and
will hazard a guess that it's in the genus Arabis, the rock cresses.
Scott

Arabis Glabra (Tower Mustard) looks like a good bet to me. The various
online photos match quite well, and it appears in plant lists for the San
Juan Islands. I'll try to catch it flowering next year!

.... and on looking back at unidentified photos taken last year, I find one
in bloom. This also matches online photos of Arabis Glabra. See

www.seanet.com/~pmar/jsp_P4255925.JPG

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 21:38:48 GMT, Scott Ranger wrote:
I agree with PvR and Monique that it's in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
and will hazard a guess that it's in the genus Arabis, the rock cresses.
Scott

Pete schreef
Arabis Glabra (Tower Mustard) looks like a good bet to me. The various
online photos match quite well, and it appears in plant lists for the San
Juan Islands. I'll try to catch it flowering next year!

+ + +
Looks like it! Also known as Turritis glabra
Apparently both an invasive weed
(http://www.hear.org/gcw/html/autogend/species/19681.HTM)
and a threatened plant
(http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant...gi?symbol=ARGL)
PvR