Sisymbrium loeselii

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

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| image = Sisymbriumloeselii.jpg

| genus = Sisymbrium

| species = loeselii

| authority = L.

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Sisymbrium loeselii is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by several common names, including small tumbleweed mustard,{{PLANTS|id=SILO3|taxon=Sisymbrium loeselii|accessdate=16 November 2015}} false London-rocket,{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17 }} and tall hedge mustard. It is native to Eurasia, and it is known on other continents as an introduced species and in some areas a common roadside weed.

It is an annual herb producing a hairy, erect stem which can exceed a meter in height. The leaf blades are divided into triangular, lance-shaped, and toothed linear lobes, and are borne on petioles. The top of the stem is occupied by a raceme of flowers with bright yellow petals each measuring just under a centimeter long. The fruit is a silique up to 3.5 centimeters in length containing tiny seeds.

File:Flowers of tall hedge mustard (Sisymbrium loeselii) in West Bengal, India.jpg, India.]]

This plant is allelopathic against other species growing around it. It produces chemicals that inhibit the germination of seeds of other species, including bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) and Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis).Bainard, L. D., et al. (2009). Inhibitory effect of tall hedge mustard (Sisymbrium loeselii) allelochemicals on rangeland plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Weed Science 57(4):386-393. It also inhibits arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus species, such as Glomus intraradices.

The species is named for German botanist Johannes Loesel.{{Cite web |title=Putnam Park Wildflowers |url=https://www.chem.uwec.edu/putnam/notes-wf-Sisymbrium-loeselii.html |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.chem.uwec.edu}}

Uses

The leaves are spicy enough to make wasabi but can also be mixed into salads and other dishes.{{Cite book|last=Nyerges|first=Christopher|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/965922681|title=Foraging Washington: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods|publisher=Falcon Guides|year=2017|isbn=978-1-4930-2534-3|location=Guilford, CT|oclc=965922681}}

References

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