Petals of eruca vesicaria are obovate in shape, tapering evenly to the base, up to one inch long, pale creamy-yellow crossed by distinctive, branched reddish-brown veins. Sepals are reddish-green, unfused, in two pairs (inner and outer), hairless or sparsely hairy. Two of the six stamens are shorter than the others. Filaments are reddish, the anthers pale greenish-yellow, and exserted. Fruits are short, upwards-pointing cylinders, of two lateral valves and a narrower, flattened segment at the tip.
The hairless, dark green leaves grow mostly at the base and along the lower half of the stem branches; they are pinnatisect, divided almost to the midrib into between three and nine lobes, irregularly wavy-toothed.
Common name:
Rocketsalad
Family:
Scientific name:
Eruca vesicaria
Main flower color:
Range:
Scattered areas of most of the western states (non-native)
Height:
Up to 3 feet
Habitat:
Fields, roadsides, waste or disturbed ground, ditches, sandy plains and slopes; up to 4,000 feet
Leaves:
Alternate, oblanceolate, irregularly lobed, up to 8 inches long and 2.5 inches wide, on stalks of up to 3 inches
Season:
February to September
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