Reseda alba — white upright mignonette

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Calyx symmetry

  • there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
  • there is only one way to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is bilaterally symmetrical)

  Carpels fused

  the carpels are fused to one another

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla palate

  no

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Flower description

  the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

  Flower petal color

  white

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Form of style

  the style is unbranched, but it has two or more narrow appendages that are part of the stigma

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of pistils

  4

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  • there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
  • there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  anything

  Ovary position

  the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

  Petal and sepal colors

  white

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal number

  5–6

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Scales inside corolla

  no

  Sepal and petal color

  the sepals are different from the petals

  Sepal appendages

  the sepals do not have appendages on them

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals

  Stamen number

  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13 or more

  Stamen position relative to petals

  NA

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  NA

  Achene shape

  NA

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  NA

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  0.8–1.4 mm

  Fruit locules

  one

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  0 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Placenta arrangement

  the plant has parietal placentation, where ovules develop on the wall or slight outgrowths of the wall forming broken partitions within a compound ovary

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  0

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Lifespan

  • the plant lives for two years
  • the plant lives more than two years
  • the plant lives only a single year or less

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

• Leaves

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  0

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Hairs on underside of leaf

  the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

  Leaf arrangement

  alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)

  Leaf blade base shape

  the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

  Leaf blade edges

  the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes

  Leaf blade length

  3–15 mm

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf duration

  the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Leaf variation

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaves per node

  there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Specific leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipules

  there are no stipules on the plant

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  man-made or disturbed habitats

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Flowering stem cross-section

  the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular

  Hair between stem nodes

  the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Plant height

  30–90 cm

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key