early penny-cress Noccaea praecox

Brassicaceae

Species information

Other scientific names

Thlaspi praecox

Description

A mustard-family plant with alternate leaves and four petals arranged in a cross; its fruit is a pod or short pod. An early-flowering brassica of sunny dry grasslands and rocky calcareous sites.

Plant traits

Growth form

forb

Life cycle

perennial

Height

10–30 cm

Typical season

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Active growth

Flowering

Fruiting

Timing varies with site and year.

Habitat conditions

Habitat

dry grasslands · rocky habitats

Light

full sun

Moisture

dry · mesic

Soil

base-rich

Substrate

calcareous

Pollination

insect pollination

Status

native

Interesting facts

The seed pods are flattened, like tiny coins, a distinctive feature of pennycresses.

LifeSystems

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